Into A Dream
by Devicorn
Summary: I was just a normal, Bleach obsessed girl who had a bit of a thing for red-heads. I'd always wanted to visit, but I never expected to wake up and find the entire Soul Society after me! Now, with that whole Ryoka business cleared up, I've got to try and figure out how I got here and, more importantly, who brought me here. Is this strangely familiar enemy to blame? *Eventual RenjixOC
1. A Familiar World

**Alright, so this is my first ever fan ****fic, hopefully you guys will like it and review it! Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach (sadly) nor any of the characters other than my own.**

**Renji: why the hell do ya have to put that. It's annoying.**

**Me: Yeah, I know, but I don't want to be sued for all I'm worth now do I?**

**Renji: Fair enough XD **

* * *

"Damn it! Damn it all to hell Yu, why did you have to mess around with my laptop?" I shouted for about the millionth time this evening. It was a cold, rainy Monday; the clouds making it hard to tell that it was only early evening rather than midnight. The cheap lighting in my small room flickered as thunder rumbled against the window pane, casting dancing shadows all over the four white walls, the simple bed, the tall wardrobe and the small chest of draws under a rain spattered window, whose curtains were a filthy grey from age. It was one of the oldest and therefore smallest rooms in the orphanage that I lived in, but I didn't mind. It served its purpose well enough.

Sighing, I started trying to find all the websites that Yu had deleted from my bookmarks bar. Thankfully that was all he had managed to do before I had come in from getting ready for bed and caught him. I had managed to get a good slap in before he'd scarpered from the room, leaving a bright red handprint on his stupid face. You see, Yu Tategaowa was the bully of this orphanage; constantly teasing and belittling everyone who wasn't in his crew, which was pretty much three quarters of the hundred or so children I shared the only home I had ever known with.

Unfortunately for me I was the person that he always picked on the most. He always went out of his way to annoy me. _Ass_. At least I had a job that earned me the money to buy this laptop for myself, unlike Yu, who was a lazy sod.

_Well, it's not too many websites. And there all pretty easy to find, so really he didn't do much damage this time _I thought, happy that he hadn't managed to delete the Zanpakutō name translators (both the Japanese Kanji and the Romanji) from the bookmarks bar before I came in. They had been uber hard to find, and I doubted I would have had such a happy accident again if they had been deleted.

"Alright, that's pretty much all of them apart from…the Bleach episode website" I said aloud. That was an easy website to find; you simply typed in the name of the program you wanted to watch on Google and then clicked on the first link.

My fingers tack-a-tack-a-tacking across the keyboard, I quickly found the episode I needed to watch. Episode 366.

"Ahh damn, am I really on the very last episode in the anime?" Bleach only had 366 episodes in the anime, as after that it had been cancelled for unknown reasons. The manga still continued after that, but watching the anime made the world of Bleach seem more…real.

Grumbling at the people who had decided to cancel the anime and at Yu for making me waste a few precious moments that I could have spent watching the last episode of Bleach, I plugged in my headphones, turned the HD on and let my mind be taken into the wonderful world of my favourite programme.

"And so I bid you goodbye, at least in the realistic world of anime, Renji Abarai of the 6th division. You will always be my favourite character" I said, feeling slightly sad at the prospect of never seeing the red-head move on my laptop screen again, unless I decided to re-watch Bleach all over again. He had been a favourite character of mine since I had first seen him in the anime, sitting just above others like Byakuya Kuchiki and Kenpachi Zaraki (yay for crazy Kenpachi!) in the standings according to me from the very beginning. Even though he had been a bit of a jerk back then.

Giving a wistful look at my Bleach background (yes, I was obsessed), I shut my laptop down and placed it under my bed. Getting out from under the covers I grabbed my brush from on top of the chest of draws and padded over to the floor length mirror on the wall, pulling my hair from the ponytail that I only took out at night.

Running my brush through the bottom-of-the-shoulder-blade length strands I tried to get the kink out from the back of my hair, but there was still a slight bump underneath. The light swayed slightly above me, causing the natural reddish tint in my hair, the one that had earned me the affectionate nick name 'copper top' from the staff here, to dance across my dark brown locks.

A part of my chin length fringe settled across my right eye, where I usually kept it when my hair was up, and I brushed the electric blue strand away. I had dyed my fringe my favourite shade of blue last year on my sixteenth birthday. Not to look cool or anything (although I must admit it did look pretty awesome); just because I felt like a change.

The strand came back again, so I just tucked it behind my small ear. Then an eyelash decided to join in the fun and attack my eye, causing me to blink furiously. After a few more moments of fun I finally managed to get the bugger out and flicked it away, looking my hazel brown eyes over to make sure that nothing else was going to annoy me.

Satisfied that no other object had crept into my eye without me noticing I was about to go and switch the light of when I noticed that my necklace was around the wrong way, with the pendant hanging down my back. My perpetual slight frown became more pronounced as I fiddled with the necklace, grabbing the pendant from where it lay against my back and pulling it around to rest against my collar bone again, like it should have been. The necklace was special to me, because it had been the only possession I had had with me when I had been left out the front of the orphanage. It was a little silver triangle with a line through it about a third of the way down- a triad was what I had been told it was- and it hung from a thin silver chain.

Nodding in satisfaction when the necklace was back in its rightful position, I took one last look over myself, tugging at the plain blue PJ's that covered my slim frame to make sure they were comfortable.

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I turned and skipped lightly over to the light switch and switched the flickering bulb of. As the darkness swirled into the places the light had just vacated, I got a strange sensation. It felt like déjà vu, except in reverse; like I hadn't been to this…this place I sensed at the edges of reality, but I would be going there. Soon.

_What the hell? _I thought confusedly, frowning. Nothing like that had ever happened before, not even when I had stayed up 'till four o'clock in the morning. It was only nine o'clock at night now. _What is this place that I seem to feel I will be going to soon?_

Still frowning, I wandered back over to my bed, slipped under the covers and snuggled deep into the comfy mattress. Even though they didn't look that appealing, the beds were actually very cosy.

The feeling was still there as I began my nightly routine of immersing myself into one of the various stories I invented to keep my over active imagination from self destructing at night. It helped me get to sleep if I did this.

Sleepily tucking my Sheet (the white blanket I had been found in when I had been dumped on the front steps of the orphanage I had been in for the past sixteen and a half years) over my ear as I had done for a long time, I gradually relaxed and let sleep carry me away on soft wings, trying to ignore the still present sense of reverse déjà vu…

* * *

…"BzzzztfizziiiizhissSNAP."

Huh, what was that OOWW! _I thought as something hit my chest, but rather than bouncing off me it seemed to rest against me for a moment before sinking _into _me and settling in the centre of my chest. As it did so I felt a slight sinking sensation inside me, as if all except a little bit of my energy were being suppressed and drained. I tried to open my eyes but found that I couldn't, almost like they were being held shut by something._

_ Wind howled against my ears and I longed to cover them, but some irresistible force was holding my arms pinned to my side, refusing to let them go. Heat swirled around me but did not affect me. It felt like I was falling towards something at great speed, like a comet through the night. Falling, and falling fast._

"CRAAASHsnapfiiiIIIZ!" _I felt my body smash into a solid object, but it didn't hurt. It was almost as if a large cushion was wrapped around me, protecting me from harm._

_ A strange _…thing_ travelled from the thing that had settled in my chest to the rest of my body, feeling as though it was seeping out of every pore. The solid object beneath me began to tremble and hiss, as if the substance that was leaking from my body was destroying it like acid on glass. More and more of the _thing _surrounded me, pressing me into the object until, with a white hot _"SNAAAP!" _the solid object buckled around me._

_And I started falling again; falling, falling faaaaaling until I-_SMAAASH!

* * *

"…Warning, there has been a breach in th… (fade)"

_A breach in the what? Damn, my head feels fuzzy._

"… ase report to your battle stations and await further orde… (fade)"

_Battle stations? Hang on. If this is a dream about a war zone then I don't want to be here, _I decided, before trying to open my eyes. I had always been able to open my eyes and get out of a dream, whether it was a lucid one or not.

_But this isn't a dream_.

That was the first thought I had as I blearily tried to peel my eyes open to no avail, and although I didn't know how I knew it, I knew that that thought was completely true.

Groaning and rolling over into the fetal position, I finally managed to unglue my eyelids from each other and look around at my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the lighter and darker patches. Unlike normal patches of shade and light, these didn't fade into one another. Rather, there was a sharp definition between the two with no blending whatsoever. Exactly like in manga and anime: it was sharp shading.

_Eh? _I thought, still staring at the clear boundary between the light brown and the dark brown of the place I was in. It looked like rock, with lots of cracks running in different directions with the same anime-like shading everywhere.

Bringing an arm into my line of vision I was disconcerted to find that it was the same: pronounced shadow and normal colour, with no normal blending between the two. Even the creases in the sleeve of my white robe had unblended shadows and light patches. _Wait what?_

Sitting up sharply, I realized that I was no longer wearing my blue PJ's. Instead I was wrapped in a soft white kimono like robe with elbow length sleeves and a triangular collar. A little white sash was tied around my waist to keep the whole thing from opening, and the bottom of the strange garment tickled my ankles and bare feet. _How the bloody hell did I get into this thing? And why on earth does it look so familiar to me?_

My hair had also changed. Rather than being down as I had left it, it was now up in the customary ponytail that I always wore it in with my electric blue fringe hanging across my right eye. I had no idea how it had happened.

_ This is just weird_, I thought. As I thought that I noticed that there were alarms ringing in the distance, but not the kind I was used to. "Clack-clack-clack" they went, sounding like something wooden striking something else wooden. And they too seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't remember why.

I looked up and noticed that the sky was a reassuringly normal blue, with a few clouds scudding across it. "Hmmm" I said, letting my gaze wander down from the sky and to where my surroundings should have been. Only, they weren't there, because blocking my view was the huge wall of a…_a crater? And I'm in the middle of it? Damn it, this is getting stranger and stranger._

The brown walls of the crater were lined with cracks that all seemed to radiating outwards from the centre, which was where I was presently sat. The crater was at least ten feet deep and twice as wide, with little flurries of brown rock tumbling down the sides.

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and prayed for it all to go away. However, when I did close my eyes, I saw something in my mind's eye. Or sensed it anyway.

Everywhere in the darkness there were little orbs of white, bobbing along at different speeds and heights. I also, somehow, knew that the larger, brighter orbs were much stronger than the rest, and that the smaller orbs were weaker than the rest. Some of the orbs were so large that they seemed to be right next to me, but I sensed that they were actually quite far away, and what I was seeing was an orb of immense power. _Strange, these orbs remind me of when the Shinigami in Bleach are sensing each other's…Spiritual…Pressure. No, stupid imagination, stop playing games with me. I don't want to play Bleach at the moment._

Opening my eyes again, I found that the strange, sharp shaded place I was in still hadn't changed. I frowned, but it was a fear laced frown. I wasn't where I had been when I had fallen asleep, I wasn't wearing what I had been when I went to sleep, and worst of all I could _still _sense those orb things at the edges of my mind!

_Damn it all to hell! WHERE THE HECK AM I?_

And then a simple explanation came to mind, one so obvious that I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before hand. _Stupid Yu, always playing pranks on me damn him! This has gone too far though, and as soon as I get outta here I'm going to kick his ass into next Tuesday! _

Fuming, I rolled over onto my front, stood, and began to climb the side of the crater, ignoring the doubts I had and the obviously not normal shading of the place I was in. _It's probably just Yu and his cronies projecting something onto the landscape with a projector. That or their using a green screen, _I reassured myself as I scrambled nimbly up the rough sides of the crater. Luckily I had always hated the feeling of being unfit, and so had spent an hour in the orphanages gym (really just a room with equipment that was donated to us in it) each day.

Grasping the rim of the crater and still trying to ignore the orbs at the back of my mind, I hauled myself up onto the flat surface of the land around me. It was marble like in appearance, but was really grey stone smoothed flat.

Standing from my kneeling position I stared at the surroundings. Tall, ten foot high walls topped with yellow tiles in a chinese like fashion surrounded what appeared to be a large, courtyard like space, with an opening opposite where I stood. Beyond that opening I could see more walls blocking my view. It was very, very familiar.

_Gah, it's on the tip of my tongue. How can I know this place if Yu brought me here? God freakin dammit Yu, when I get my hands on you I'm going to-_but my thought ended abruptly, because I had just turned around and seen what was behind me. Towering high above all the other buildings that I could see, with many tiers leading up to it, was a large building. Its red roofs stood out, and even from this far away I could see that it had many windows. To the right of it was a tall white tower that seemed threatening somehow, but I couldn't figure out why. Joined by a bridge to that was a large mesa of rock, a mesa of rock that greatly resembled the… "…the Sōkyoku Hill" I whispered, my limbs and my jumbled thoughts freezing as soon as I realised what it was.

"Oh balls, that's the Sōkyoku Hill! Crap, crap crap crap. If that's the Sōkyoku Hill, then that must mean I'm-"

"Warning, there has been a breach in the Seireitei. I repeat, there has been a breach in the Seireitei. Please report to your battle stations and await further orders from your Captains. I repeat…"

"-I'm in the world of Bleach!"

* * *

**So, How d'you guys like it? I know there may be a few spelling mistakes, so if you would be so very kind as to point them out to me if you review my story, which I'm sure you will! Next chapter should be up within a reasonable amount of time.**

**Renji: Che, they'd be better of eating grass.**

**Me: WHAT did you just say *waves frying pan threateningly***

**Renji: Nothing! Nothing at all!**

**Me: That's what I thought XD**


	2. Flash Step?

**Me: *latched onto Renji's back* Hey again guys. Thanks to the people who reviewed my story :D **

**Renji: Gah, you're strangling me!**

**Me: Whoops, sorry Renji! *loosens hold a bit* :)**

**Renji: That really hurt ya know? Anyway, Devicorn here just wants to make sure that everybody knows that she doesn't own Bleach or any of the characters in it, just her own OC's. Ya got that? Good.**

**Me: Thank you Renji! *covers his eyes***

**Renji: What the HELL is wrong with you!? Seriously, can't you go and harass someone else? Like Ichigo?**

**Me: Nah, I'm good where I am :P Besides, you're a lot more fun than he is XD **

* * *

Chapter 2

Flash Step!?

I stood there, staring open mouthed at the centre of the Seireitei as the alarms continued to sound for all to hear. Alarms that, I could safely assume considering the size of the crater I had climbed from, were for me.

"Bu-but how? How is this even possible? Bleach is supposed to be a fictional world created by Tite Kubo, and yet here I am standing at the edge of a _frickin _crater staring at the _frickin_Sōkyoku Hill and sensing _frickin _Spiritual Pressure from _frickin _Shinigami for chrissakes!" I always cursed when I was upset or scared, and today was no exception. Even though it really shouldn't be possible, that little thought from earlier, telling me that this most definitely wasn't a dream, was still there and was still feeling as though it were true.

And to make things worse I realised, with a jolt of unhappiness, I wasn't wearing my necklace. It seemed to have come off before I hit the ground, because when I looked I couldn't see it anywhere in the crater.

Spouting curse words that would make a sailor blush I kicked at the edge of the crater, sending another flurry of pebbles down the side. From the looks of things I had hit the ground after falling straight downwards, as the crater was perfectly circular. I continued to swear loudly above the clacking of the alarms which I had last heard when watching Bleach, and so didn't notice the voices getting nearer and nearer from the direction I was facing. What I did notice as I stamped my foot in scared frustration was five orbs of Spiritual Pressure over the other side of the wall. And those orbs, two of which I somehow knew were at the level of seated officers, were heading for the opening that I was facing, getting nearer all the time.

_Soul reapers._

As soon as I realised that my jumbled thoughts froze and I went into something like auto pilot. Turning around I sprinted for the other opening that I had seen when I had first pulled myself from the crater, the one that the Shinigami weren't heading towards. My bare feet pounded against the hard ground as I raced for the relative safety of the corners of the opening, where I could turn either left or right by the looks of things. Just as I skidded through the opening and around the left hand corner I sensed the party of five Shinigami enter the open space I had just vacated.

Fighting to calm my rapid breathing and galloping heart I swallowed hard, knowing that if I had stayed there a moment longer I would have been toast. Well, not in that way, but I would still have been in big trouble if they had managed to catch me. "Huff, huff. I…huff…think I now…huff, huff…know what…huff, Uryū, Orihime and the, huff, others …heh…felt like when they were…gulp…being chased around the, huff, Soul Society" I panted, adrenaline and dread racing through my veins as I listened to the tapping of the Shinigami's sandals against the stone floor. Steadying my frightened breathing at last I decided, perhaps a little recklessly, to see who it was that had almost caught me. After all, it would help to know where all the strong people were and who they were. That and the fact that I really wanted to know, once and for all, if this really was the Soul Society.

Steeling myself, I slowly inched my head to the right until I could just about peek around the corner. It wasn't good.

Standing around the edge of the crater I had made were five Shinigami dressed in the normal black robes I had become so familiar with. On the right hand side was someone I recognised as Makizō Aramaki from the times I had seen him in the anime. He was frequently called "Maki-Maki" by his superior, Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, a child-like Shinigami who gave everybody nicknames. They were both from squad 11 of the 13 court guard squads of the Soul Society. Crazy Kenpachi (as I liked to think of him) was their Captain. That wasn't the bad part though.

Of to the left were two figures, one with their hands on their hips. The one with his hands on his hips had a piece of gold plated shoulder armour with a kanji on it on his right shoulder and a shiny bald head. It was 3rd seat of squad 11 Ikkaku Madarame. Talking to Ikkaku was another guy, but he seemed to be quite…girly. A plait hung down the right side of his face, and the rest of his black hair hung down to his jaw. I could just see the tips of some feathers either side of his head, and a white sash hung over his right shoulder. It was 5th seat of squad 11, Yumichika Ayasegawa.

I really was in the world of Bleach.

"Damn it, I really wish I wasn't here" I muttered to myself, staring at the back of the two high seated officers. I could just about see Yumichika's Zanpakutō hanging by his side, and Ikkaku's was clearly visible. Why did I wish I wasn't here, even though I loved Bleach? Well, it's one thing watching the programme or reading the manga when you are safe from harm and can't get any injuries; it's a whole different story when your put in that world, where they have swords that can easily cut you in half without much effort. So you see my dilemma.

_Oh fudge it I think Yumichika saw me! _I thought, panicking. I had still been staring at the two officers, whose spiritual pressure was much stronger since they were near me, when Yumichika had suddenly turned around and stared straight at me. I had ducked behind the wall quickly, but I probably wasn't quick enough.

My fears were confirmed when I heard Yumichika's voice call out, "Ikkaku, I think I just saw someone over by that wall."

_Oh damn it! Damn damn DAMN! Time to run again! _I thought, just as Ikkaku replied, "Did you now…" and the tapping of footsteps started in my direction again. Pushing away from the wall I hurried down the left street at a run, constantly keeping an eye on the spirit pressure orbs to make sure that I wasn't going to run head long into any Shinigami. Fear kept me company as I ran.

I took a random path through the Seireitei's streets, not bothering to keep track of where I was going. I frequently hit dead ends, forcing me to turn back constantly and take a different route.

It seemed as though it was mid-afternoon in the Soul Society, as the sun was high in the sky. Its rays cast the same strange unblended shadows across my white robe. _I know where I recognise this robe from now, _I thought as I took a left hand turn at a three way street; _it's the same as the robe that Rukia Kuchiki wore during her failed execution. _And it was exactly the same, down to the fact that I didn't even have shoes.

* * *

"Phew, I'm tired" I murmured, walking slowly down the street I was on. I had been running for the better part of two hours, and was kept constantly on my toes by the near misses I had had with Shinigami from various different squads.

I was starting to get used to the unnatural shading this place and the people in it had (probably because I watched the programmes quite frequently), but not how ruthlessly they were hunting for the lone intruder that I was. _Kudos to Ichigo's rescue party for staying free for so long, _I thought wryly, turning down the next street on the left and slumping to the ground with fatigue, closing my eyes.

My mouth felt dry due to the fact that I hadn't had any drink since my strange arrival in the Soul Society, but at least I wasn't hungry. Nobody here was hungry unless they had Spiritual Pressure of their own (which it seemed I didn't as none of the Soul reapers Spiritual Pressure had bothered me in that way) and a Shinigami passed them, which usually caused that individual to collapse with hunger.

As I rested against the smooth stone wall I became aware of two spiritual pressures in the same street as me. They weren't powerful, but anybody with any kind of power posed a threat to me at the moment.

Opening my eyes I stared at where the two orbs were hanging in my mind's eye and found myself looking back at a pair of Shinigami's sat opposite me, who seemed startled by my sudden appearance. I had been too tired to notice them before.

I froze in place, not even daring to breath. _Ahh crud! After all that running I manage to hand myself over to these guys. I should have tied a ribbon round myself._

Strangely, though, they didn't seem about to leap up and attack me. Instead they sat there, staring back at me with mild curiosity. Could it be that they hadn't heard the news yet. _No, they must have. Maybe it's this robe I'm wearing. After all, it does blend in slightly better than ordinary clothes would._

My conclusion seemed correct as, with a smile, the Shinigami on the right with the brown hair asked, "And who are you?"

I relaxed slightly as the threat of imminent capture dissipated, but my mind was working furiously. I couldn't say Natassha Woodley, my given name, as that would just arouse suspicion with its un-Japanese sounding nature, so I had to come up with a different name. Something that would fit in…

"Taiyesha. Taiyesha Tategaowa. Pleased to meet you" I replied in what I hoped was a cheerful voice. _At least I didn't struggle with the surname, thanks to Yu._

The brown haired guy and the black haired guy both nodded, but the brown haired guy, who appeared to be the more talkative of the two, answered. "Pleased to meet you to Taiyesha. I'm Akimitsu Nakamura, and this here is Eiichi Kinjo" he smiled, indicating the black haired guy next to him with a jerk of his thumb. Eiichi nodded to me, also smiling. "Were both from squad 5."

"Oh, I'm from squad 2" I replied, saying the first squad that came to mind. It was a happy coincidence that I had said squad 2, as not many of the stealth force was seen by the other squads, which would explain to these guys why they had never seen me around before. Akimitsu nodded.

"Ahh, that explains why I haven't heard of you before." _Yeesss! Hah, thank god for quick thinking, _I thought, relieved that they had swallowed my lie without complaint. I could be very convincing. I smiled back at him, glad that I wasn't in any immediate danger from these two. _Yay for slightly dumber than average people!_

"So Taiyesha, why on earth are you dressed like that?" asked Eiichi asked, looking over at me with brown eyes. _Gah, I forgot about this stupid robe!_

"Well, you see…" _C'mon dammit, think of something! _ "…The Ryoka I'm sure you guys have all heard about by now," I said, gesturing in the general direction of the alarms that were still clacking away, "went through the squad 2 barracks, where I was still sleeping of a late night mission, and happened to break into my room, waking me up. So, when I realised who it was I ran after the Ryoka and tried to capture him, still wearing my night clothing and forgetting my Zanpakutō. Unfortunately he managed to get away from me a few minutes ago, but I've been trying to find him ever since," I ended, pleased with my on the spot story. Akimitsu and Eiichi were watching me attentively now, their expressions ones of rapt attention. When they realised I had finished they sat back against the wall, their eyes shining.

"Wow, that must have been really scary when the Ryoka burst into your room like that!"

"Yeah, your so brave running after him in your night clothing like that without picking up your Zanpakutō!"

I smiled at their praise, glad that they didn't realise that _I _was the Ryoka (as I'm sure I had now been branded). "Well, I'm just glad that Suì-Fēng hasn't seen me without my Zanpakutō, else she would kill me on the spot." _Thank you memory for allowing me to know the terms of the Shinigami!_

I shaded my eyes slightly against the sun and asked, "Have you guys got any water? Because I'm parched after chasing that dammed Ryoka halfway across the Seireitei." Akimitsu nodded and pulled out a large flask, which he promptly threw over to me. I caught it deftly and drank deeply, grateful to the Shinigami sat opposite me despite the fact that they were, really, my enemies at the moment.

After drinking my fill I put the stopper back in and threw the flask back over to Akimitsu, who caught it and put it back in his robe. I noticed then that their Zanpakutō were quite small._It seems my 'Spirit sense' is correct in assuming that these guys aren't that powerful._ At least I could relax for now.

* * *

We talked for a while, of matters in the Seireitei that I pretended to know about but really didn't; of what the Ryoka was might be doing (hehe), and of why I we had joined the Gotei 13. It was a nice change of pace compared with running from everyone. But, as per usual, the peace wasn't to last.

A while later we were talking when I noticed that a group of Shinigamis' were heading our way, their spirit pressure giving them away in my senses. They were very, very close. I had to leave, now, because one of these guys was a Lieutenant with masses of spiritual pressure that glowed like a star in my senses.

Standing and stretching my now recovered body, I thanked Akimitsu and Eiichi for the water and for talking to me. They told me that they were happy to have someone else to talk to and wished me luck in finding the Ryoka (Hehehe) which was what I said I had to get back to doing, and told me that any time I was over at squad 5 I should stop by and say hello. _I really wish I could, _I thought wistfully as I walked in what I hoped was an unhurried way towards the end of the street, the one that didn't have a Lieutenant and some others of his squad about to reach it.

I quickened my pace, praying that I would get away from them before they saw me. The end of the street was 100 meters away. 90. 80.

Just as I was about to get within fifty meters of the left turn up ahead, a voice behind me barked, "What the hell are you two doing? Slacking off again?!"

_Ahh, no, not him. Please not him!_ I thought, my heart filling with terror, but I had known who it was from the moment he had spoken. Glancing over my shoulder as I carried on walking, I saw that my guess had been correct. Standing over the two cowering members of squad 5, his muscled arms crossed over his chest and his black spikey hair hanging down by his ears, was the Lieutenant of squad 9, Shūhei Hisagi. He, like everything and everyone else in this world, was sharp shaded, meaning that the muscles on his arms really stood out. The tattoos on his arms and neck were exactly as I remembered them, along with the "69" and the blue band across his left cheek. The other members of his squad stood back slightly. Thankfully their Captain wasn't with them, else my goose would have been well and truly cooked.

_Go. Go, go go go goooo! _I willed my feet, trying to hurry without appearing to. It still didn't do much good though.

"Ye-yes we were Lieutenant Hisagi, but so was Taiyesha!" _So much for that friendship._ I walked even faster, almost jogging now. My heart was so loud that I was fearful it could be heard by the Shinigami behind me.

"Who's Taiyesha?"

"H-her Lieutenant Hisagi." I got the sense that Akimitsu was pointing at me, the bastard.

"She's from squad 2, Lieutenant Hisagi, and she was slacking off with us as well!" Eiichi was now also trying to save his own skin.

Risking a glance over my shoulder, I saw that Shūhei was staring at me, his arms still folded across his chest and his eyes narrowed more than usual. As soon as our eyes made contact his dark grey ones widened and his mouth opened. _Crap, _I thought, whimpering and breaking into a sprint, _he knows I'm the intruder!_

Shūhei gave a shout, and as I ran I heard him bellow as he gave chase, "That's no squad 2, that's that dammed Ryoka we've been hunting for you idiots!"

Skidding around the left corner I almost fell I was going so fast, but I just managed to save myself and kept going. Fear lent me speed as I streaked down the street, trying desperately to escape from the Lieutenant, who wasn't too far behind me.

A three way split in the street lent me a moments respite as I whipped around the right hand corner, but I dared not slow my headlong sprint, because if I did I was done for. Shouts from behind me indicated that the rest of Shūhei's group had taken up the pursuit, but I didn't really need to worry about them. What I did need to worry about was now within 20 metres of me.

Breathing hard I put on another burst of speed, sure now that, had I been running like this in a 100 meters sprint, I would have easily done it in eight seconds dead. Probably less. Usain Bolt could kiss my ass.

_At-at least he hasn't used Flash Step yet, _I thought shakily, grateful for that small piece of luck. But even that was taken away from me as, with a slight whistling sound, Shūhei Flash Stepped and disappeared from my senses. I wasn't able to see him or sense where he was, that is until his orb popped back into my mind's eye _right in front of me!_

"UUUWAAAAAHHHH!," I yelled, leaping to the right just before Shūhei appeared where his Spiritual Pressure orb indicated he would, his Zanpakutō slashing the air where I was. Or had been, that is. He hadn't missed; I'd just somehow actually managed to dodge his attack without even being able to see his Flash Step. _HOW THE HELL DID I DO THAT!? _I screeched in my head, now beyond terrified. I'd nearly got cut in two, and had only managed to escape by sheer dumb luck. It hadn't even been me that had done it. As I had leapt to the right at too slow a pace, it had felt as though something had _pulled _me from the inside faster than I could have ever moved, sending me out of harm's way.

Shaking slightly now with the adrenaline I raced around yet another corner, leaving an extremely surprised Shūhei in my wake. _Hah! I bet he didn't expect that! Then again, neither did I._

Another Flash Step whistle sounded far behind me, and suddenly the Lieutenant's Spirit Pressure orb appeared in front of me again, followed a moment later by Shūhei, who was holding his sword out at waist height to cut me down as I ran. But I wasn't there, because the moment I had sensed what he was going to do I had gone into a slide, the thing that had done so last time pulling me down faster than I could have ever gone and saving me yet again. But Shūhei wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Flash Stepping slightly further ahead, he swung his Zanpakutō down towards the ground. And I was still sliding. I wasn't going to be able to get up in time, even with the help of the mysterious thing that had been increasing the speed of my movements.

_No no no noaaaaAAAGH! _I screamed in my head, knowing that I was dead. Shūhei's Zanpakutō descended towards me, a triumphant smile on it's wielders lips. I closed my eyes, waiting to die-

"-Shewapuuu!" _Huh? What the hell was that? _I thought, bewildered that I hadn't been hit yet. The strange noise had accompanied a slight jerking sensation and the feeling of my feet hitting the floor, after which Shūhei's Spiritual Pressure orb had moved about a hundred meters away. It almost seemed like-_No, it couldn't be that, could it? It couldn't be-_

_-Flash_ _Step_, a voice whispered inside my head, a mental voice that most definitely wasn't my own. It seemed to come from inside me, next to where I always thought my Soul was, like another person speaking to me through a very good phone line. _Wha? Who the hell are you and how did you make me do Flash Step?_ The voice didn't reply; it merely chuckled and withdrew.

I was about to try and ask it more questions, but at that moment there was another whistle, and Shūhei appeared in front of me once more, glaring at me with anger and suspicion. I squeaked in fright, but before he could catch me I was Flash Stepped away again, this time reappearing and hitting the ground running. _Try not to let him get that close to you? _the strange voice asked, sighing with annoyance. I nodded and ran on, not stopping to think about where the voice came from as I tried to ignore the disappearing and reappearing Spiritual Pressure orb behind me that was the Lieutenant. His group was still right behind me as they too had Flash Stepped to follow us, although they weren't as accomplished as their superior. Their shouts rang out behind me, drawing the attention of more Shinigami.

The group of seven had soon swelled with more Soul reapers, whose groups I had almost collided with in my quest to escape. And all the while Shūhei kept Flash Stepping closer.

* * *

It was like that for a while: the Lieutenant Flash Stepping in front or to the side of me and trying to attack; me either dodging or being Flash Stepped away from him just in time. I began to get the hang of how the Flash Step worked and eventually managed to do it by myself, without aid of the weird voice thing that had saved my skin quite a few times. It was a simple matter of _shifting _your mind state from one place to another, somehow. My dodging was becoming faster as well; after a few more near misses I no longer needed the voice thing to pull me out of the way of Shūhei's attacks. _Heh, this isn't so bad. I think I'm beginning to like it here in the world of Bleach, even if I don't have my necklace. Maybe I _can _escape from these guys if I-_but my escape plan was interrupted by the appearance of Shūhei's Spiritual Pressure orb by my side. It seemed that, since I had figured out how to Flash Step, I had gained the ability to see another person's Flash Step, and I watched now as the Lieutenant ran up to my side, not close enough to touch, but close enough.

The slight whistle of an ending Flash Step was followed a moment later by Shūhei slowing to normal pace. I tensed, ready to dodge an attack or Flash Step away, but the Lieutenant didn't attack as I expected him to. Instead, he simply kept pace with me, looking me over with his narrow grey eyes. I glared back at him, unnerved by his lack of attacking. _Why isn't he trying to cut me with his Zanpakutō? Is he afraid of me? Or is he-_

_-He knows that you are faster than him, _said the voice, seeming to grin as it said this. I felt my heart lift at this. _I'm faster than him?_

_That _is _what I just said, _it replied sarcastically._ Haven't you noticed how hard he has to work to even stay beside you? Look at how tired he is. _I looked across at Shūhei and was surprised to notice how drawn his face was. Beads of sweat had appeared on his sharp face. _Huh, how odd. He's tired, and yet I'm not, but he is far, far stronger than me. How does that work?_ The voice didn't answer.

I continued running, the Lieutenant keeping pace with me, when another implication of me being faster than Shūhei hit me. _Hey, voice thing. If I'm faster than he is, does that mean that I could…attack him?_

_Why don't you try it and find out? _the voice laughed, seemingly pleased.

_Alrighty then, let's give it a go._

Keeping my face carefully blank, I moved over to the right, still sprinting like a maniac. As I thought he would, Shūhei followed suit, but before he could close the distance between us to what it had been I swerved left, Flash Stepped into the air and kicked out with me left leg, doing a flying kick like the ones you always saw in karate movies. The Lieutenant tried to react; starting to Flash Step out of reach, but, like the voice had said, I was faster than him. My foot connected with his sharp features with a solid THUMP and sent him crashing into the wall to my left. The impact threw up a huge cloud of dust and debris, and as I landed and stopped my running I saw that, to my amazement, I had knocked Shūhei out.

_Seems like it worked, _I commented, and the voice laughed. I kind of felt sorry for the Lieutenant, as I hadn't really wanted to knock him out, but he _had _been trying to hurt me so I wasn't too bothered. A panicked shout of "Lieutenant Hisagi!" went up to my left, and when I turned to look I saw that the rest of Shūhei's group, plus a large number of other Shinigami's. And, right at the back, I caught a flash of a shiny, bald head. Ikkaku, and presumably Yumichika, had obviously seen the group rushing past and figured that it had something to do with the Ryoka (me).

Giving the group running towards me and the unconscious Shūhei a last look, I Flash Stepped away, this time not running in between each Step; instead I just constantly Flash Stepped, leaping from the ground and over the walls that got in my way at lightning speed. I highly doubted that they would be able to catch me now.

* * *

Finally I reached a place I knew to be relatively safe, the exertions of my Flash Stepping beginning to catch up with me as I panted, on the verge of collapse. It had been at least ten minutes since Shūhei had given chase, and I had been Flash Stepping a good amount of the time he had been chasing me.

Slipping in through the doorway of the run down store house, I closed the decaying door behind me and looked around. There was a large-ish hole in the left hand side of the roof-which let in the late afternoon sunlight-right above a beam that could easily be reached from the pile of debris in the corner. _An easy escape root should I need it._

Another pile was in the other, back left corner, but this one was a bit more organised, and down by the side I could see a large bottle with the Kanji for water on its front. Hurrying towards it I grabbed it from the floor, happy at how heavy it was, un-stoppered it and sniffed, checking to see if it was alright. It smelt fine, but I poured it onto the floor just to be sure. It came out in a clear, pure stream, and I quickly lifted it to my lips and drank deeply, emptying a quarter of the bottle in a few mouthfuls.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and thanking whatever person had left the bottle there, I grinned with satisfaction before slumping down against the pile of sheets and wood in the corner.

As I sat there, my limbs aching from all the running I had done, it hit me. I was actually in the world of Bleach. I was a Drifter, a Ryoka, running around the Seireitei where all the Shinigami including immensely strong people like Kenpachi, Yamamoto and Byakuya resided. Those self-same people could come after me at any moment, and they could destroy me like a normal person could kill a fly. And it didn't matter how fast I was at Flash Step; they were much, much faster and much, much stronger. The worst thing though, was the fact that I didn't have my necklace; the necklace that I had never taken off since the day I was found with it hanging around my neck as a baby.

_Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god oh god oh GOD! Why am I here? Why? I don't want to die, I do-_

_-Calm down! You will not die, I pr-_

_-Don't you get it? The only things I know about this place are from a PROGRAMME! A PROGRAMME! When I watched that, I didn't get hurt! But here, I COULD EASILY DIE! AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE MY NECKLACE TO COMFORT ME!_ I was hysterical now, my mental self jumping around and screaming whilst my physical body lay there, half dead with fatigue. The voice in my head was annoyed now, trying to calm me down, but it wasn't working.

_I. DON'T. WANT. TO. DIE. HERE!_

The voice growled, getting angry as well. _If you don't calm down I will knock you out, _it threatened, but I didn't care.

_Uhuhuhooooo, why was I brought here just to die? Why mee? Wh-_

With an irritated sigh the voice said, _I warned you. _I was about to question what he meant when a sudden, bright pain exploded in my chest and I was swallowed by the black depths of unconsciousness.

* * *

**Me: That was one helluva long chapter, but it needed to be as I'm going away for a week so won't be able to post another chapter next week. Sorry about that.**

**Renji: Good, It'll give me a chance to rest.**

**Me: Nope, it won't. You're coming with me to help write another chapter of this whilst I'm away *grabs Renji and starts to drag him towards the waiting car***

**Renji: PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP M-**

**Me: Don't worry, he'll be fine *laughs evilly* XD**


	3. Always Check Behind You

**Me:*Dressed as a Devil* Thanks to everyone who is reviewing and favouriting my story!**

**Renji: How the hell are you posting on here when you said last time that you wouldn't be able to post whilst on holiday? And why am I dressed like a mummy *tuggs at bandages.***

**Me: In answer to your first question, my sexy red head: we found that we actually had Wi-Fi here at our holiday place, so I am able to connect to the internet :D And in answer to your second question: because it was halloween yeasterday, and since I wanted to dress up then but couldn't, I'm doing it now XD**

**Renji: Fair enough...did you just call me sexy?**

**Me: I may have done *grins chesire cat style***

**Renji: Heh, you may not be as bad as thought. **

**Me: *blushes* a-anyway, I don't own any of the Bleach manga/anime characters, storylines or anything like that. Just my own OC's. Enjoy!**

**P.S can you guess who we are going to meet in this chapter? XD**

* * *

"Ooooh, my head."

_Well, it serves you right for annoying me._

_Wait, where the hell did that voice come from? _

And then everything came rushing back, hitting me with the weight of a mental freight train. "Ahh."

_Yes, "Ahh." You've slept for a day, so the Shinigami won't be _as _ruthless in their search unless you show your-_

_-I've slept for a DAY!? _I hissed, looking up at the hole in the roof for conformation. Indeed, the light seemed paler, as if it was mid-morning rather than mid-afternoon; the still sharp shaded shadows and light standing out. _You knocked me out for a DAY!_

_ Stop going on about it and get moving. Do you want to get caught napping? _The voice was as snappy as it had been yesterday. It was strange; I was almost getting used to the inner voice that sounded in my head but seemed to originate from somewhere in my chest. After my near break down yesterday, I was also starting to come to terms with the fact that I could die at any moment. As one of my friends back in my world said, "Live every day as if you could die at any moment; to the fullest."

I still didn't like the fact that I had managed to lose my necklace though, but I could live without it for now

_Home, _I thought wistfully, lifting the bottle of water to my lips and taking a long swig. _I wonder what Yu is doing to my laptop now? _

Sighing, I stoppered the bottle and stood, happy to see that all that Flash Stepping and running away yesterday hadn't had any ill effect. If anything, I felt full to the brim of energy. The voice seemed slightly smug about this, but I couldn't figure out why.

_Right, I need to get out of the Seireitei and figure out exactly how I was transported into a fictional universe, _I thought. I knew that there were four Gates, each ten days apart in the circular wall of the Seireitei. If I could find, and get through, one of those Gates, then I could easily blend in with the Souls in the Rukongai and, essentially, disappear from the Shinigami's crosshairs. The trouble was, I needed to get to a Gate, and get to it without being detected by any of the Shinigami's. Especially the Captains, as I could sense a couple Captain level Spiritual Pressure's wandering around in purposeful manners.

Placing the bottle of water within my robe I ambled over to the other pile of debris, the one beneath one of the beams, and clambered to the top. I turned and crouched down before leaping up and landing on my feet on the beam. I gave a laugh; I felt exactly like a gymnast on the balance beam. Crouching down again in the shadows cast by the roof I and leapt up and grasped the edge of the hole, which was surprisingly smooth, hauling myself onto the roof of the store house.

The voice sounded it's approval at my plan to use the height of the building to scout out where the nearest Gate was, and I smiled, standing up to take in my surroundings. I knew I was safe for the moment, as no Spiritual Pressure orbs were anywhere near me, so I stood tall and span around, surveying my surroundings. At my back were both the Sōkyoku Hill and the Shrine of Penitence, further away than they had been yesterday. To my direct left and right were more streets of the Seireitei. But, to the front and slightly to the left of me was a large wooden door set into the white wall that had been lowered all around the Seireitei.

_The Western Gate, about a day from here, _the voice informed me, and I nodded, knowing that it would take me less than a day to reach it if I Flash Stepped some of the way. It was time to go, and go quick before I was spotted.

Running silently to the edge of the building that faced the Western Gate I was pleased to find that a wall with goldey-yellow roof tiles was by it, giving me something to jump down onto. Across from that wall I could see a street that headed towards the Gate, and it looked like it went on for quite a while. _Good._

Sitting down on the edge of the store house for a moment and swinging my legs, I propelled myself forward and dropped downwards. It was a good twenty meter fall, but those heights didn't seem to be a problem for me here. Landing with a muffled "tap-tap", I crouched slightly before padding down the rest of the roof. My electric blue fringe swayed in front of my eyes, so I tucked it behind my ear. One of the benefits of being in an anime/manga style world-as I figured I was in-was the fact that hair didn't go all wispy.

Looking downwards I chose my landing spot before jumping lightly from the roof, my white robe flapping around me. My bare feet tapped lightly against the ground, but as they did I felt a flash of hugely strong Spiritual Pressure that was extremely close. It was gone as soon it appeared, but I was immediately on my guard. I couldn't see around the corner, and my 'inner voice' as I had decided to dub the weird, snappy voice that wasn't my own was silent , so I decided to go with my gut feeling and approach cautiously. Most of the high level Shinigami could conceal their Spiritual Pressure so that nobody could feel it unless they wanted them to, so I was always at the risk of them sneaking up on me.

Bolting over to the wall, I pressed myself against its hard surface, straining to find anything in my Spiritual Pressure sense. There was nothing.

Taking a shuddering breath, with the now normal feeling of adrenaline pounding through my veins, I sidled closer to the right hand corner and peeked cautiously around it. Nothing.

Sighing with relief, I started to step around a corner.

"Found you at last, Ryoka." I froze, not even daring to breath as the oh so familiar voice sounded behind me.

_No! No, please not him! _But no amount of praying was going to change who had found me.

Forcing my fear frozen limbs to move, I turned slowly to face the person that I knew that voice belonged to.

Leaning his well-built, 6'2 frame nonchalantly against the wall behind me he crossed his arms loosely across his chest, suggesting that he was completely at ease, and didn't reach for the red hilted Zanpakutō tucked in it's sheath at the left side of his waist. His typical, insolent smirk that I knew so well stretched across his lips, lighting up his pointed features, but it didn't reach his reddish brown eyes; eyes that told me that he would give no ground as the locked with my wide, frightened ones. His long, slightly spikey bright red hair was up in its usual high ponytail, standing out against the pale grey wall. The ever present wide maroon bandanna was tied around his head, covering his large widows-peak and the tribal tattoos that not only adorned much of his forehead and eyebrows, but also covered his upper body and back. I could see the edges of a couple peeking out of the low collar of his black Shinigami uniform.

"It seems you've forgotten the most important rule when wandering around in a hostile place: always check behind you," said the Lieutenant of squad 6, Renji Abarai.

* * *

**Me: I've just realised how short this chapter is o_O**

**Renji: *Sneaks up on me like a proper mummy* GOTCHA!**

**Me: *screams before smacking Renji away with Devil trident* Damn it Renji, you horrible person!**

**Renji: Che, I thought you thought I was sexy, not horrible? *gives lopsided smile***

**Me: *grumbling but unable to stop from smiling back* ****Yeah...Moving on from that, I hope you guys liked the chapter, and come back for more! The chapter will be longer next time, I promise!**

**Renji: Ya should, or she'll go all demon on you! *slings arm around my shoulders and scruffs up my hair***

**Me: Hey! XD**


	4. Senka

**Me: Hey again guys. I'm glad you like my story so much! Just a few quick notes:**

**1) I may have to put this story on hold for a while as I'm doing my A levels, so need all the time I can get to revise for them. I will still update, but those updates will most likely be few and far between, sadly :( **

**2) I've decided this story is going to be in place of the Thousand Year Blood War Arc.**

**Renji: Are ya sure that the reason you may have to put this on hold isn't because you're playing Assassin's Creed 3 at the moment?**

**Me: No...Well, maybe. But Assassins's Creed 3 is kinda a good reason not to be writing :)**

**Renji: You keep telling yourself that *rolls eyes* Devicorn Does not own any of the Bleach characters, story lines etc. Only her own characters.**

**Me: Ta Renji XD**

* * *

Chapter 4: Senka

I couldn't move. I couldn't even blink. All I could do was stare up at Renji. I had thought I was used to being here (even though it had only been a day since I arrived-I adapted pretty quick), but as I stood there, staring down my favourite character of the manga and anime of Bleach, that proved to be untrue.

He was exactly like he had been described by his creator. In both the way he looked and the amount of strength he possessed, because now that he had snuck up successfully on me he didn't bother hiding it. Renji's Spiritual Pressure was almost overwhelming, not only because he was standing so close to me but also because of his rank. I fought for breath as his Spiritual Pressure hissed around me, pressing against my chest and crushing my lungs. A bead of sweat rolled down my cheek. _Damn it; why does it have to be my favourite character that kills me?_

_You IDIOT! How could you let him catch you unawares like that? I.D.I.O.T! _my inner voice shouted, along with some other choice swear words.

_It's not really my fault! _I screeched back. _I'm new to this whole "running for my life" gimmick! _Just as my inner voice was about to reply Renji spoke again.

"So, Ryoka, can you speak or are you dumb?"

"I am NOT dumb" I managed to snap, forgetting momentarily that this was the Lieutenant of squad 6 I was talking to. As soon as the words left my mouth I bit my lip, horrified that I had just said that. However, Renji didn't seem bothered by my tone. In fact, it seemed to amuse him, as his smirk got wider, lending a bit of warmth to his eyes.

"Oho! So the intruder's bark is as good as her supposed bite! That's nice to know." I frowned slightly. _What the hell does he mean? What 'bite'? _

Seeing my confusion and _still _not attacking me as I expected, Renji shifted slightly and rolled his eyes. "I'm talking about your 'attack' on Lieutenant Hisagi yesterday. You knocked him out pretty good."

_Oh, that._

_ Yes that you muppet, what else would he have been talking about? _My inner voice sighed despairingly. I was beginning to figure out it's personality; it seemed to be very sarcastic, enjoying annoying me, but it did have moments where it was nicer. Like now for instance; it seemed to be very worried about my safety, and rightly so. I highly doubted that Renji would carry on talking to me like this for very much longer.

"Well? Is it true?" It seemed that he didn't think I was capable of doing what I had, which was understandable considering the fact that I was seven inches shorter than him. I tried to speak, but Renji's Spiritual Pressure was stifling, making the air so thick that all I could do was gasp like a dying fish. _Damn it, this insane! I can't even move!_

Renji frowned at me for a moment, his tattooed eyebrows scrunching slightly before he realised the problem and controlled his Spiritual Pressure. At once I was able to breathe and move again, and I collapsed against the wall, sucking in great lungful's of air. The Lieutenant laughed. "Che, I'm beginning to doubt the report from squad 9. I can't even sense any Reiatsu coming from y-"

"-It's true. What squad 9 said, that is" I panted, still slightly out of breath. I needed to get away from Renji, even though a small part of me wanted to stay and talk to him more, because if he could paralyse me with his Spiritual Pressure simply by standing next to me then he could easily capture or kill me.

As pushed myself away from the wall and stood properly, with Renji staring at me with a slightly incredulous expression, the water bottle in my robe which I had forgotten about until now bumped against my chest, giving me an idea on how to escape from this predicament. A crazy, stupid, suicidal idea that might just work.

_You're going to get yourself kiihiiled, _my inner voice sang, apparently able to see the idea taking shape in my head, but I ignore it. This was my only chance of getting away and, perhaps, making it to the Gate, and if I had to lose my water for it then so be it.

Mimicking Renji and crossing my arms over my chest, I reached into the collar of my robe and grasped the side of the bottle. I would need to be quick if I was going to surprise him and give me enough time to get away safely.

The Lieutenant gave me a once over, seemingly still sceptical of what I had said. After a moment more of scrutinising he looked up at me once more and pushed himself of from the wall, standing tall over me. A slight breeze ruffled his hair.

"You must be wondering who I am, and since I would prefer it if you knew my name before I killed you I'll introduce myself. I'm-!"

"Renji Abarai of squad 6, Lieutenant to Capitan of squad 6 Byakuya Kuchiki," I finished for him, gripping the water bottle tightly. I smiled when I saw the surprised look on his face.

"Done your research eh? Well, that's not going to do you any good anymore" Renji said, no longer smiling as he started to draw Zabimaru, his Zanpakutō, from it's sheath.

"W-wait. Before you kill me there's one last thing I want to say" I replied, clutching the bottle so hard now that I was sure my knuckles were white.

"What?" Renji sounded impatient, but he had stopped drawing Zabimaru. _And now to put my plan into action, _I thought to much grumbling from my inner voice.

"CATCH!" I yelled, whipping the bottle from my robes and flinging it at him. As I'd expected Renji automatically let go of his sword and tried to catch the water bottle, but whether he caught it or not I didn't see, because as soon as the bottle had left my hands I'd Flash Stepped away down the street next to me.

My heart was in my mouth as I bounded from roof top to street and back again, heading towards the Gate and watching for Renji's Spiritual Pressure orb in my senses. But it had disappeared again. _Come on, come on come on come ON! _I chanted as I Shunpoed from one place to another. My inner voice was silent, but I got the feeling that it wasn't very happy. And that it wouldn't be silent for very much longer.

I was right, because as I leapt down onto the street and was about to turn left it yelled, _NO! _before wrenching me to the right and sending me tumbling head over heels. A huge explosion sounded down the street I had been about to turn down, and when I finally stopped rolling and managed sit up I saw that, to my horror, the entrance to the street that I had wanted to go down was completely destroyed. The walls separating the street from the others were now piles of rubble and shattered tiles, and the floor was a mess of large, jagged cracks. And standing in the middle of it all was Renji, with his Zabimaru _in_ _it's Shikai form!_

Each Zanpakutō had two more levels of power apart from it's normal, sealed state. The Shikai, which Renji was using right now, was the first 'upgraded form' of the Zanpakutō. It was activated when a Shinigami who had learnt it called out their Zanpakutō's name and used a command word or chant. The Shikai form of a Zanpakutō was more powerful than it's sealed state, and often had special abilities to go along with the change of shape of the blade.

The Bankai was the second 'upgraded form' of a Zanpakutō and, in general, increased the power of the wielder 5 to 10 times. The Bankai usually took the form of the Zanpakutō's spirit and was capable of causing destruction on a massive scale with just a single hit. A Bankai was normally not supposed to be used in battle until the wielder had gained full mastery of it, which usually took 10 years of training (got all that information from Wiki in the real world before I had been dumped here).

And Renji had achieved both Shikai _and _Bankai.

The six segments of Zabimaru's blade, each larger than the other with a sharp, pick like protrusion on the front of each segments, glinted sharply in the light, the grey edge of the bottom contrasting with the black of the blade. Renji kicked away a piece of rubble before looking up and noticing me sat there, still slightly stunned. A triumphant grin flashed across his lips.

"Eeep!" I squeaked, Flash Stepping away from the Lieutenant. _H-how did he fi-find me? _I whimpered to my inner voice, praying that it had been a fluke. Renji had said I didn't give of any Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure), which was the thing that allowed Shinigami's to find each other. Each Shinigami's Reiatsu was different from anyone else's, and so it was easy to identify someone if you knew what their Spiritual Pressure was like. Since I supposedly didn't have any Spirit Pressure, he shouldn't be able to find me. And yet he had not only managed to find me, but also had been able to guess where I wanted to go.

_I don't know and I don't care right now, because he-JUMP! _The voice shouted, yanking me into the air as the wall I had been running along was destroyed by Renji's Zabimaru.

In it's Shikai form Zabimaru could be used like a whip, as each segment could separate from it's sword form and shoot in the indicated direction, each segment connected to the next by a stretchable thread and the number of segments able to grow almost without limit. This wasn't good news for me, as it meant that Renji could reach me almost any distance away.

I felt something slash across the back of my right leg and cried out in pain as I Flash Stepped to the street below. When I landed my leg almost gave out under me, but I felt myself being hauled up by my inner voice (I didn't know how just a voice was able to pull me around like it did). _Get your ass moving before Renji's Zanpakutō cuts you to ribbons. It's only a little scratch, which I'm sure you've had plenty of before._

_ It doesn't feel like a 'little cut' to me, _I hissed back as blood poured down my leg. _Damn, that hurt more than I thought it would_. I'd always thought that getting hurt in the world of Bleach wasn't all that painful as the Shinigami's seemed to be able to run around with injuries that should have caused them so much pain that they passed out, but it turned out that injuries in this world hurt just as much as they did in the real world. _These Shinigami must have extremely high pain thresholds._

_ Hang a left up ahead, _my inner voice suddenly said, a feeling of relief emanating from it.

_Why?_

_ Because around the corner is something that will stop Renji from using his Shikai against you._

_What is it?_

_You'll see. One thing though; whatever you do, don't stop running._

_O…k, _I thought, confused as to what the thing might be. Just as I was about to turn the corner another CRASH of breaking walls sounded close behind me and I sprinted even faster, knowing that I would have been able to run the 200 meters in about 10 seconds at this pace.

Rounding the corner I didn't notice what was up ahead until a wave of shouts rang out. A large group of Shinigami's was running straight towards me, their Zanpakutō waving in front of them. And Renji was right behind me, cutting of any escape route.

_WHY THE HELL DID YOU MAKE ME COME THIS WAY? NOW I'M GOING TO BE CAUGHT FOR SURE! _I yelled at my inner voice. It gave an exasperated sigh and replied calmly, _Well, Renji won't use his Shikai here because he would most likely take out a good chunk of these guys in trying to hit you. Also, if you jump just before you collide with the group you'll buy yourself some time to get away._

_ But how does jumping help my cause? Reni will still be after me!_

_Not if he's right behind you he won't. _The voice was infuriatingly calm.

Growling, I gritted my teeth and ran on, the distance between me and the group of Shinigami closing to just 30 meters. Renji had just rounded the corner and was storming after me. He didn't use Flash Step to catch up to me. Instead he just sped up, closing the gap between us to 20 meters…

…15 meters between Renji and me and the group of Shinigami and me. My inner voice said, _When I say so, jump._

_This is crazy, _I hissed at it, but it simply reminded me of my water bottle plan, shutting me up.

…10 meters between me and the Shinigami, and I could now see their narrowed eyes as they focused on me. Behind me Renji had also closed the distance to about 10 meters, his sandals pounding against the street.

…5 meters…

…4 meters…

…3 meters…

…With two meters and closing to go my inner voice cried, _Jump!_

Leaping into the air, I finally figured out the other reason it had wanted me to head down here and keep running towards the Shinigami. They had thought that I was going to try and fight my way through, and so would be going at full tilt with their Zanpakutō outstretched to stop me. Renji had probably thought the same thing, and so was also running as fast as he could to stop me. Neither party had expected me to leap into the air, as only a crazy person would think that they could clear the forest of weapons, and so they didn't stop even when they saw me launch into the air above.

There was a loud THUMP as the Shinigami at the front collided with Renji and toppled over, burying the Lieutenant underneath them. Thankfully they had moved their Zanpakutō out of the way as best they could, so he wasn't stabbed to death by his own comrades. I would have hated to be the reason that my favourite character had died.

I began to fall through the air towards the rest of the large group of Shinigami that stretched out behind the confusion at the front for about 20 meters, probably having been drawn this way because of the clouds of dust thrown up by Renji's attacks. The voice murmured what to do and I felt a grin stretch across my lips despite the pain burning away at my leg.

Touching down on one very surprised Shinigami's head I continued to run across the sea of people, bounding lightly from one head to another and leaving a trail of my blood behind.

At the end of the group I leapt and span around in the air, admiring the chaos at the front of the bewildered group that was sure to keep Renji from chasing me for a good while, before Flash Stepping away once more.

I was beginning to get tired now from all the Flash Stepping, and the adrenaline was beginning to wear off, so I stopped Flash Stepping unless absolutely necessary and slowed my hundred-mile-an-hour sprint to just a gentle jog. I sensed that I was getting closer to the Gate because I could just about see the hazy blobs that were the Souls in the Rukongai at the very edges of my Spirit sense. That and the fact that my inner voice told me that I was only about 10 or so minutes from the Gate.

The early evening light had softened everything apart from my raging thirst, and I started to actually admire my surroundings. There were some minute differences between the buildings; some had smaller windows, others roof tiles were a slightly darker shade of the golden yellow.

Rounding a corner that my inner voice had told me to go down I found myself in a large, courtyard type area much like the one I had first landed in. And at the other end, in the near distance past opening at the other end of the open area was the Western Gate. As I walked forwards, a sense of elation filling me, I looked up at the Gate looming above the other buildings. Its wood stood out against the white Seki Seki rock walls that it was set in, a welcome sight to my weary eyes.

Still walking towards the Gate I closed my eyes and sighed happily, relief beginning to flood through me. That is until a flare of insanely strong Spiritual Pressure knocked me to my knee and sent a shiver of fear racing down my spine. _This is even worse than Renji's Spiritual Pressure. This is tearing me apart! It feels like a-_

_-Captain's Spiritual Pressure! _cried my inner voice, sounding just as terrified as I felt. _It's a Captain's Spiritual Pressure!_

Forcing my bowed head to lift I felt my blood go cold as, inch by inch, the Captain whose Spiritual Pressure was crippling me was revealed. Slate grey eyes stared coldly across at me, paralysing me even from 20 feet away. Long black hair framed the noble, expressionless face of the squad 6 Captain as he stood to his full 5'11 height, the hair pieces he always wore at the back of his head just visible.

His Captain's haori was slightly different from the other Captains; with light gold edges and light gold tassels attached to the edges of the high collar.

His Zanpakutō, one that was famous in the Soul Society for it's both beautiful and deadly attacks, hung at the left side of his waist, it's lavender hilt and white sheath catching my eye.

_By-Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of squad 6! Fudge and balls!_

_ Get UP! You imbecilic moron GET UP! _my inner voice screamed, frantic now.

_I would, but if you hadn't noticed I'M BEING SQUASHED BY BYAKUYA'S SPIRITUAL PRESSURE HERE! _And I was. I felt myself slowly sinking down onto both knees, being pushed down to the ground simply by being near Byakuya. I had known his Spiritual Pressure was immense from how it had been shown in the anime, but this was just taking the biscuit.

_Then FIGHT IT! _

I felt a burst of defiance from the voice flash through me, and suddenly I was no longer being crushed. My inner voice hauled me up into a standing position and hissed, _Fight that Spiritual Pressure with will power, idiot!_

A look of surprise flashed across the squad 6 Captain's face, but was quickly replaced by his usual blank mask. He stopped exerting his Spiritual Pressure, allowing me to stand upright by myself. My inner voice gave a strained sigh of relief, and I realised that holding me up against such strong Spiritual Pressure might have tired it out.

"You are the Ryoka." Byakuya's voice was as expressionless as his face. It was a rhetorical question but I nodded anyway. The Captain stood there, gazing at me with his cold eyes. I stared right back, willing my expression to become one of defiance. It was hard because I was trembling with terror. Here was yet another of my favourite characters, and yet again they were out to get rid of me,

Byakuya stared at me for so long that I, stupidly, began to marginally relax. My breathing, which had been on the verge of hyperventilation, slowed slightly, as did my heart. It seemed that, like Renji, he wasn't going to kill me straight away. _I wonder why that is?_

Suddenly Byakuya's eyes snapped from mine to somewhere above me. _What the?_ I thought, but as I did so I heard a slight hissing in the air behind me. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach, and my inner voice moaned, _oh nohohohooo!_

I started to pivot to the left, my body flooding with fear.

_Please god, no! _I thought, but as I turned I saw a flash of black and grey whipping towards me.

I tried to dodge it, to do _something _to get me out of the way of Renji's Shikai, but before I could a blinding pain ripped through my upper arm, spinning me around and knocking me to my knees. I cried out and clutched my right hand to my wounded left arm, squeezing my eyes tight against the pain. Blood spattered against the ground from the deep slash.

My inner voice was strangely silent as I knelt there, fighting to keep a whimper from escaping my clenched lips, but another voice took it's place.

"Che, you were even easier to sneak up on this time Ryoka" laughed Renji, placing the tip of a now retracted Zabimaru against my throat and letting his Spiritual Pressure become visible once more, crushing against me. I felt despair run through me. _I'm really going to die here, _I thought, clutching my upper arm as I tried to stop the blood. My leg was burning as blood trickled from that wound as well, staining my white robe. _I'm really going to die by the hand of my favourite character. What a way to go._

Byakuya seemed to be happy to let his subordinate do all the dirty work, but that was to be expected. He only fought if it was necessary.

Renji pressed his Zanpakutō harder against my throat. "Ready to die, Drifter?" he asked.

And suddenly, I wasn't. I wasn't ready to die. I wasn't ready to leave this world. I wanted to fight. I wanted to win. I wanted to _live!_

"No"

"Huh?"

"I said no" I repeated, feeling the influence of Renji's Spiritual Pressure disappear as my will power became iron.

"Well you're going to anyway so-" but I cut him off as I stood up, pushing Zabimaru away from my throat with my left hand. A hissing, snapping sound, like that of an enormous bonfire, filled the air around me, and I literally began to see an orangey red so bright that it looked almost white. The place where my silent inner voice seemed to dwell felt heavy, but not in a bad way. It felt _strong._

Renji was pushing against my hand with his Zanpakutō as hard as he could-I could feel Zabimaru shaking as Renji strained to push my hand back-but to no avail. I raised my head and turned to look at Renji, who eyes widened as I stared at him.

"I said no" I said in a deadly calm voice before, with a snap of the bright orangey-red aura, I gave a slight shove against Renji's Zanpakutō. With a cry he flew backwards, sailing through the air and crashing through not only the wall of the area I was in but also several other walls behind that. I watched the cloud of debris fly into the air with a slight frown. I hadn't _really _wanted to send him flying that far; just enough to get him away from me. He was rather close to my heart after all.

As I stood there, the bright orangey-red aura hissing like a flame around me, I sensed a bump in the world around me and whipped about, blocking Byakuya's Senbonzakura with my right forearm. His slate grey eyes were wide with surprise as he stared down at me, unable to move for some reason. I grinned.

"No Senka today, Captain Kuchiki" I said, flexing my arm slightly and sending him skidding, still on his feet, backward a good 20 feet. As I did so, however, a wave of fatigue crashed down over me.

I staggered forward slightly, the bright orangey-red aura disappearing along with the hissing, snapping sound. I tried to stay standing but by legs betrayed me, buckling underneath me and sending me crashing to the ground below, utterly drained. My injuries, which had seemed non-existent a moment ago, came back in full force, biting into me with blinding pain. My inner voice was still silent, but I could no longer feel it's presence inside my chest. _What the hell? _I thought as I lay there, bleeding onto the ground. _Just when I thought I'd won._

A tapping sound of footsteps sounded above the ringing that was beginning to fill my ears. Raising my head I looked up at Byakuya, staring into his grey eyes which no longer seemed as cold as before. I gritted my teeth and tried to push myself up, but my limbs wouldn't respond. I couldn't even speak I was so tired.

_Damn it! _I thought, the ringing in my ears getting louder and a blackness swirling into my vision. I let my head droop back to the ground.

Byakuya shifted slightly before speaking. "It seems that I have underestimated you, Ryoka."

As he spoke I noticed that his voice was slightly…gentler than before? But before I could question why, or even if this was true, the ringing in my ears reached a crescendo and, for the second time in two days, I fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Renji: Ahh, so you get to beat me up in this chapter do you? *Glares and takes a step towards me***

**Me: Uhh, well, I didn't _really _want to...**

**Renji: Well, I don't _really_ want to get you back for that now, but I'm going to anyway! *Proceeds to start chasing me around the room.* C'mere!**

**Me: *running for my life* Please R&R people! AHHH! *Is jumped on by Renji.* God** **Dammit, get your mighty fine ass off of me! **

**Renji: Flattery won't help ya now XD**


	5. A Healing Touch

**Me: Hey all you people out there, sorry I haven't updated in a while but. like I said in my previous chapter, I won't be able to update as often as I would like due to the fact that I'm doing my A levels.**

**Renji: She's finished Assassin's Creed 3 now, so she'll have more time for ya. Probably.**

**Me: I wish it were that easy. Anyway, here is the obligatory disclaimer: I do not own anything from Bleach, as much as I would love that. I only own my OC's. There, now, on with the story.**

**Renji: If you attack me again in this chapter I swear to god I'll destroy your laptop!**

**Me: yeah yeah Mr talk-but-no-action, whatever XD**

* * *

Chapter 5: A Healing Touch

I was warm. So warm, and comfortable along with it. I wanted to stay like this forever, but, as per usual, I wasn't to be allowed to. _Get up._

_Wha?_

_Get. Up!_

_Who the hell are you? _I asked because, though I knew I had had a voice that only I could here and that wasn't my own, this one sounded different. It was deeper and smoother, but I sensed a hint of laughter lingering on the edges of it. Where my inner voice had been neutral, this one was definitely male.

_Still as stupid as you were before I see, _it answered in exactly the same manner as my inner voice did. Suddenly I realised that this new voice _was _my inner voice, just drastically changed.

_Voice thing, is that you?_

_Ding ding ding, that is correct! You win a prize! _My inner voice snickered.

_Shut up! _I replied. _Why d'you sound so different anyway?_

_ Oh, that, _my inner voice said casually, but I caught a sense of smugness radiating from where it sat in my chest. _Well, it's because your Spirit, or 'Shinigami side' as I am going to call it, has been awakened._

_Eh? Where the hell did I get my 'Shinigami side' from and how the hell was it awakened?_

_ You had natural abilities, and they were awakened when you were almost killed yesterday, _my inner voice replied, seemingly relieved as it said the word "almost."

_Natural abilities huh…? Wait, I was almost killed!? _My inner voice sighed, exasperated.

_Yes, don't you remember having a sword held to your throat you muppet? _It seemed to enjoy calling me names, but I had come to notice that it did this when it was worried, about me. I think it was it's way of showing affection. Something like that, anyway.

_Oh yeah, I remember now. How exactly does having Renji's Zabimaru held to my throat cause my powers to 'awaken'?_

_So many questions, _my inner voice sighed, but it complied nonetheless. _Well, I don't know all of the fundamentals of it, but I do know that being in a life threatening situation that you can't escape from by normal means can force your powers out to allow you to defend yourself._

_And why exactly did I collapse after using my powers for only a short while? _I asked, remembering feeling overwhelmingly tired and crumpling at Byakuya's sandaled feet. My inner voice chuckled. _Well, it is like when you first achieve Bankai; you need to train in order to be able to fight properly with it. If you don't, then it will be more than your body can take if you push it too far, which will cause your body to shut down and fall unconscious in order to recuperate._

_Oh. Wha-!_

_Enough questions! _the voice snapped, causing me to shut up abruptly. _Now, open your eyes and get up of your lazy ass!_

Sighing and just managing to hold back a snappy retort I blearily opened my eyes, blinking sleep from them. I found myself lying on my back on something comfy-a bed maybe?-and staring up at a white ceiling. Something thin, most probably a sheet, covered me up to my neck. I reached an arm out from under the sheet and pulled it from me, sitting up and swinging my legs around to the floor as I did so. I was wearing a similar robe to what I had been wearing yesterday.

I reached up to where my necklace usually was, only to remember that it was no longer there with a jolt of sadness. Frowning unhappily, I looked around at my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed as I stared about was the bars across the front of the room I was in. They went from ceiling to floor and were grey, like most prison cell bars were, which was where I figured I was. On the other side of the wide prison cell was another bed, but it was empty. A window let in the gentle mid-morning light.

I placed my feet on the ground and stood up, only to fall backwards with a hiss as a bolt of pain shot up my right leg. My inner voice seemed to roll it's non-existent eyes at me and said, _Idiot, be careful. You got injured yesterday remember?_

_Well thank you for reminding me earlier about that! _I snapped back, but my inner voice chose to ignore that remark. I bent down and lifted the hem of my robe up to discover that my leg wound had been bandaged cleanly. _Huh. Looks like somebody was kind enough to see to my leg wound. I wonder…_

Straightening up again I raised my right hand and lifted the sleeve of my left arm. It too had been bandaged, but there was a bit of blood staining through the white linen. I prodded it curiously, and felt a stab of pain sear up my arm, causing me to whimper. _Don't poke it you moron! _My inner voice cried, and I was sure that if it had had a body it would have face palmed itself.

_It seems as though someone decided not to kill me, _I remarked as the pain subsided, and my inner voice grunted.

I looked around, this time with my Spiritual Pressure sense, and found that I was in a place filled with many different Spiritual Pressure's, all moving in purposeful manners. There was a Captain level Spiritual Pressure nearby, but it didn't seem like the others. It felt kinder.

I realised then that I was probably in a prison cell in the 4th squad barracks, where Captain Retsu Unohana seemed to be wandering around. She was nice; with a kind, warm personality that matched her appearance. _Well, I suppose that being here isn't so bad; at least the Captain won't kill me, _I thought, gingerly standing up and hobbling over to the front of my cell. There was a door across from me, and a Shinigami guarding it, watching me closely with tightly crossed arms.

A voice was speaking, saying_, "Hey, are you listening to me? Can you hear me? C'mon man, LISTEN! For once in your life! Please!"_

"What did you say?" I asked curiously. Why would the guard want me to listen; I could hear him perfectly well. And why had he called me 'man?' I knew I could be boyish sometimes, but come _on._

"I didn't say anything" the guard replied, frowning.

"Yes, you did. You were asking me if I was listening to you," I said, but as I did so the voice spoke out again. _"Girl, you can hear me? HOW!?"_

"I-I don't know. Who are you?" This was getting weird. If it wasn't the guard speaking, then who was it? The voice was certainly emanating from the man, or very close to him anyway.

_"I'm this man's Zanpakutō. How can you hear me? Nobody but my wielder should be able to hear me!"_ As the voice said this in a frightened tone I realised, with a jolt, that it was indeed coming from the Zanpakutō at the man's waist. _Huh, how odd._

I was about to reply that I didn't know how, and ask why the Zanpakutō was so scared, when my inner voice clamped my jaws shut. _No, _it hissed. _Do not show that you can talk to his, or any other for that matter, Zanpakutō._

_Why not?_

_Because I said so! _my inner voice growled, and I could sense that it was really angry now, so I complied. _Just ignore it and any others that you hear, _it said in a gentler tone, and I gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Trying to ignore the bombardment of questions from the guard's Zanpakutō I started to give the guard a faint smile of apology, trying to distract him from my odd behaviour, but at that moment a large growl came from my stomach, making both the guard and I jump. Another growl sounded, and suddenly I realised that I was ravenous. _But I thought that only happened to people with-oh wait, I have Reiryoku now, so after last night's escapades I would be hungry. That's probably also why I can hear this guy's Zanpakutō speaking._ My inner voice didn't tell me otherwise, so I assumed the last part to be true.

I smiled sheepishly at the guard, who seemed amused by my musical stomach; a smile crossed his lips as he stood there, watching me. I sighed as my stomach growled again, much to my inner voice's annoyance, and was just about to ask the guard if he could get me something to eat when a knock sounded at the door. I sensed that it was a seated officer waiting at the door, but like Captain Unohana's Spiritual Pressure this was gentle.

The guard opened the door and said, "Whadaya want Hanatarō?"

I gasped slightly as I recognised the name. Hanatarō Yamada was the 7th seat of squad 4; an excellent healer that had saved Renji and many others on lots of occasions. He was a short Shinigami with dark blue eyes and chin-length black hair. Bangs framed the sides of his small face, scared looking face. He wore the Fourth Division medical kit over the shoulder of his standard Shinigami uniform, and the bag was slightly skewwhiff on his back.

Hanatarō had a very kind, albeit nervous nature that caused him to be the butt of most pranks, but he never really seemed to mind. That, or he just didn't notice.

"I-I'm here to ch-check on the prisoners wounds and also to-to bring her some food as Captain Unohana instructed me" he stuttered. On the word "food" I gripped the bars of the prison cell and looked through eagerly, noticing for the first time the tray of steaming rice and bread he held in his slightly shaking hands.

"Alright. You, stand back from the bars whilst I unlock the door." This last part was addressed to me in a superior voice. I complied; wandering back over to my bed and sitting down on the soft mattress, my stomach and my inner voice both grumbling.

_Why are you sitting down? This Hanatarō person could easily overpower you!_

Grooooowl.

_He won't; he's not like the others. The Fourth division dislikes fighting._

GROOOOOUGH

_And shut that stomach up!_

_Hold on, _I thought, lifting a hand to cover a small laugh. The guard already thought I was strange enough, and laughing at nothing wouldn't help my cause.

Hanatarō followed the guard towards my cell, stepping cautiously in as the door was opened for him. The tray was shaking harder. The short Shinigami padded nervously over to me, his gaze flicking over my crossed legs and my hands, which I had folded in my lap. He slowly set the tray of food down, the smell wafting enticingly towards me, and then stepped back. I waited a moment before grabbing the tray and beginning to stuff the delicious food into my mouth, trying to get as much in one mouthful as I could.

Hanatarō had flinched slightly as I'd lunged for the food. He was now nervously fiddling with the medical kit on his back; pulling it around to the front and almost taking it off, then spinning it back around so that it once again rested where it had started.

After a few more mouthfuls of what tasted like heaven I couldn't take it anymore. Swallowing my latest mouthful of bread I looked up into Hanatarō's scared blue eyes. "I won't hurt you, y'know," I said.

"Wh-what?" Hanatarō stuttered, stepping back. I shook my head slightly and smiled. "You don't have to be scared of me, because I won't hurt you." I repeated, taking another bite of bread and watching the Shinigami. My inner voice gave a derisive snort. _He's not scared of you. What is there to be scared of in such a wimpy Soul as yourself?_

_ Shut up. You're part of me, I think, so if what you say is true, you're wimpy as well!_

_Point taken, _my inner voice chuckled. I gave a mental shake of my head. It seemed I still had my wit. Hanatarō started to speak, looking down at his sandaled feet as he did so. "W-well, it's n-not that I-" he started to say, but then lapsed into silence. I had a funny feeling that I knew exactly why he was scared, so I voiced my theory.

"You are afraid because of what I did to Lieutenant Hisagi and Lieutenant Abarai, am I correct?" Hanatarō looked up sharply at me before giving a small, sheepish smile that added to the kind look of his face. "Y-yes, that's it."

I nodded to myself before answering. "Well, the only reason I did that to them was because they were trying to kill me. You're not going to try and kill me, are you?"

"No?"

"Then you have nothing to fear" I said, smiling up at Hanatarō. My inner voice had a few things to say about _that _promise, but I ignored it just as I ignored the guard's Zanpakutō which was still crying out fearfully to its ignorant wielder. The nervous Shinigami ran a hand through his black hair before shyly returning my smile. "Ok. G-good" he replied with only a slight stutter, finally taking the medical kit from his back and placing it on the ground beside his feet. He knelt down next to his bag, rummaging around inside for a moment before bringing out a bandage. "If you would, miss?" he asked, gesturing towards my folded legs. I guess he needed to change my bandage.

_Well done genius, _my inner voice said in a voice that dripped sarcasm. _He _did _say that he needed to check on your wounds when he came in._

_Yes, but I was paying attention to the food in his hand at that time, so I didn't really hear._

_Pig, _the voice replied. I reminded it that it was the one that had wanted me to shut my stomach up, before unfolding my right leg and placing it lightly on the floor in front of Hanatarō. The Shinigami unwound the bandage with efficient speed and asked me to turn my leg around.

"It seems like your wound has healed properly, so you won't need a bandage anymore miss" he said in his quiet voice. I nodded.

"You can call me Taiyesha."

"Oh. Taiyesha. That's a nice name." I smiled at the compliment as I placed the empty tray on the bed beside me.

"I need to check your arm wound as well…Taiyesha. It was quite a nasty wound that Lieutenant Abarai gave you; right down to the bone," Hanatarō said, standing up with another bandage. _And it would have been a _lot _worse had I not helped you doge the worst of it, _my inner voice grumbled. I realised I hadn't thanked it for that, and did so promptly.

_Thank you, whatever you are._

_You're welcome, _the deep voice replied, the edge of laughter that was always present brightening. It seemed happy.

Turning my attention back to Hanatarō I turned so that I was facing the outside of the cell and lifted the sleeve of my robe up over my shoulder. The wound still throbbed with slight pain, and when the healer Shinigami started to unwind the bandage it became worse. I hissed as Hanatarō tugged the last part of the bandage of, causing a bright flare of pain to shiver up and down my arm.

"Sorry," he said. I gritted my teeth and just concentrated on not shoving him away and clutching my arm in pain. My inner voice was silent, seemingly getting the message that I wouldn't be in the mood for any sarcasm at the moment.

"How is Lieutenant Abarai?" I asked, partly to take my mind of the pain but mostly because I was genuinely curious. Hanatarō 'hmmmed' for a moment before replying: "He's alright, although he broke a couple of ribs and suffered numerous cuts. He is recovering in the barracks of squad 6." I winced in sympathy as I heard the extent of his injuries. My inner voice made as if to comment on that, but I told it to stuff it before it could.

"I really didn't mean to injure him that badly, I reall-" I started to say, but as I turned to look at Hanatarō a gentle green glow bather my face. His hands were hovering over the wound in my arm, which was bleeding slightly, and they were surrounded by green healing Spiritual Energy. As I watched in amazement, the lips of my open wound, which stretched halfway around my arm, began to knit together, as did the torn muscle inside, until there was nothing left but a small pink line where once there had been a gaping wound. The healing energy was warm and gentle, like sunlight

Hanatarō withdrew the healing Spiritual Energy, seemingly satisfied, and began packing the bandages back into his bag. Curious, I went against my inner voices warning and poked my arm. It barely even twinged. _Looks like he can be trusted, _I said smugly to my inner voice as I thanked Hanatarō. It huffed, muttering about me being too trusting, but I knew that it was grateful to the Shinigami as well.

Hanatarō smiled at my thanks and bid me farewell, taking the tray from my bed and stepping from my cell. The guard who couldn't hear his Zanpakutō's cries closed the door behind him and ushered him through another door on the left that I hadn't previously seen. I sighed, feeling lonely all of a sudden. Hanatarō's presence had brightened the room like the sunlight still streaming through the small window, but now everything seemed dull again.

_Hey, moron, you still have me to talk to, _my inner voice said, and I smiled at the affectionate insult.

_And what great company you are, _I laughed, brushing my blue fringe from my eyes. _Still, you are better than nothing, whatever you are._

* * *

**Renji: Oh, so I'm recovering from a broken rib or two now am I? *looking slightly annoyed***

**Me: Yeaup. I couldn't make it so that you came out of that mess uninjured now, could I? It would just seem silly.**

**Renji: *looking slightly mollified* Fine, fine, point taken. Hey, isn't this chapter a bit...lacking. It seems more like a filler than anything else.**

**Me: I was going to do this chapter like this anyway, so It's not really my fault *shrugs* Besides, there _are_ a few things in there that will become important later on *winks***

**Renji: Ok, whatever ya say *grabs playstation controller and starts playing Assassin's Creed Multiplayer***

**Me: Dammit, it's my turn to play! *sits on Renji's lap to block his view***

**Renji: Outa the way! *starts tickling me to get me of***

**Me: He-haha-hey, no fair! Stop it-ahaha-damn my-haha-u-uber ticklish t-ahahahaha-toes! till next time-ahha, not my knees! XD**


	6. Meeting Everyone

**Me: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope You all got what you wanted! I've been holding of to post this latest chapter so that I could give you guys a Christmas present :)**

**Renji: *Opening his present* You got me some more sunglasses? Score!**

**Me: I thought you might need a couple more pairs hehe**

**Renji: Awesome *puts a pair on* Ok, now for the Disclaimer. Devicorn does not own any of the Bleach storyline or any of the characters in it, apart from her OC's.**

**Me: Thank you Renji! *hugs* This is kinda a filler, but we do get back to the main story here XD**

* * *

Chapter 6: Meeting Everyone

It was an amusing stay in the Fourth Division prison. After Hanatarō had left on the first day of my incarceration I had quickly become bored. I had tried to talk to the guard, but he only answered with a grunt or a frown, so I had given up on that direction. My inner voice, though it was something to talk to, had a tendency to fall silent for long periods of time, ignoring my questions for some reason. So I had taken to meditating, which had proved to be quite fun, when I could actually do it that is.

You see, over the course of my stay, I had had a lot of visits from Shinigami from various divisions. My voice had told me that they were simply curious as to whom I was, but it was still annoying when I was trying to clear my head and kept getting interrupted by muttering voices.

Some of the times I was glad for the interruptions was when one of the Captains' from one or another squad, usually with their Lieutenants, came and visited me.

* * *

Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, visited in the afternoon of the second day. The short Captain with the pure white hair and vibrant turquoise eyes stared quietly at me, his face impassive, whilst Rangiku skipped over to the bars of my cell, her boobs as large as they had been drawn and bouncing with each step. They looked as if they could pop out at any time.

_Man, those things are massive!_ I thought, much to the amusement of my inner voice.

"Ohh, Captain Hitsugaya, look how cute she is!" squealed the busty Shinigami, clapping her hands. Her Captain closed his eyes, a small, frustrated sigh escaping his lips. His Zanpakutō, Hiyorinmaru, also seemed exasperated. He gave an icy sigh and murmured to Tōshirō, _"Why you are not harsher on her I will never know." _

"Rangiku, she is _not _cute. She knocked Lieutenant Abarai through several walls, have you forgotten?" Rangiku pouted prettily, curling a strand of her shoulder length strawberry blond hair around a finger. Her Zanpakutō, Haineko gave a lofty sniff and started to argue with Hiyorinmaru, so I was forced to try and shut their bickering out.

"But she doesn't _feel _that powerful. I'm Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto by the way," she said, introducing herself. She then gestured to Tōshirō, who was fiddling with the end of his turquoise scarf. "And this grumpy guts over here is my Captain, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. We're from the 10th Division." Her light blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

Tōshirō turned his head away, muttering, "I am _not _a grumpy guts," as he did so. I laughed and said, "It seems like you are to me, Captain Hitsugaya." Rangiku joined in with my laughter, commenting, "Aww, she has a good sense of humor Captain, you have to admit that."

Huffing, Tōshirō turned and swept out of the room, calling, "Come on Rangiku!" as he left, the large Zanpakutō on his back looking impressive. After bidding me a cheerful farewell Rangiku followed, her pink scarf that was draped across her shoulders fluttering behind her. _She seems nice, _my inner voice commented, happiness radiating from it. It seemed that Rangiku's bubbly personality was affecting it, but in a good way.

* * *

I was visited by the Lieutenant of the 9th Division later that evening. He stated to the guard that he was only passing through in order to find Captain Unohana, but ended up staying for a quarter of an hour. At first he just stood there, glaring at me with narrowed eyes and crossed arms. Eventually though, he spoke.

"Finally got caught did you, Ryoka? Well, it serves you right for knocking me out," he said, his normally calm voice holding a hint of annoyance at the remembered attack. I shrugged slightly. Kazeshini, Shūhei's Zanpakutō, was urging him to open the cage door and knock me out, but the Lieutenant ignored him.

"Well, I needed to survive, and it so happened that I had to knock you out to do so." Shūhei growled and pushed away from the wall, coming to a stop in front of me and glaring down at me. If the bars hadn't been separating us I was sure that his usually calm disposition would have disappeared and that he would have tried to strangle me. I smiled sweetly up at him before closing my eyes and going back to meditating. Kazeshini, Shūhei's Zanpakutō, was greatly angered by my remark, shouting abuse at me and willing his master to cut me down. He was quite a violent Spirit.

_Why do you always insist on antagonising your enemies? _my inner voice asked exasperatedly.

_Because it's fun. You enjoy it to, don't deny it._

_Alright, it is quite fun, I admit, _my inner voice seemed to grin, the laughing edge in it's voice becoming more noticeable.

Shūhei stood there for a few moments longer before turning and walking away. As he opened the door to leave I opened one eye and called out, "I didn't _want _to knock you out, honestly. Wouldn't you do the same thing if you were about to be killed?" The Lieutenant looked over his shoulder at me before leaving, but I swear the corner of his lip quirked upward slightly as he left.

_Sigh. You are strange. One minute you're annoying your enemies and the next you're apologising to them. Strange child._

_Shut up_

* * *

The next day was eventful. First, Captain Unohana visited me and asked how I was feeling. She was so nice, even my inner voice couldn't seem to bring itself to call her an enemy. Her blue eyes glowed with warmth and her voice was gentle as she spoke. Minazuki was a quiet, warm presence at her side; the Zanpakutō perfectly happy where it was.

Second, Both Captain of the 13th Division Jūshirō Ukitake and Captain of the 8th Division Shunsui Kyōraku visited me. Jūshirō was a tall, slightly sickly looking man with long, pure white hair, like Tōshirō's. His bright green eyes were kind.

Shunsui was as flamboyant as ever, with his flowery women's kimono draped over his Captain's haori and his straw hat tipped low over his sparkling grey eyes. His brown hair was in a lazy ponytail, with one short strand hanging by his left eye. A lazy smile stretched across his lips.

"Weeeeell, aren't you a welcome sight for sore eyes," Shunsui drawled, peering down at me with his ever present grin. I flushed slightly, and my inner voice sighed. _You are quite emotional aren't you?_

_Yeah, what of it? _I snapped back, but my inner voice lapsed into silence again. Shunsui was speaking again. "I've seen a lot of Ryoka these past couple of years, but you are by far the prettiest of the lot," he said, causing me to blush further. Luckily Jūshirō intervened at that moment.

"Shunsui, you really do have no limits, do you?" he said in his warm, deep voice. Shunsui grinned wolfishly at his friend, tipping his hat back and cupping the back of his neck. The twin hilts of his dual Zanpakutō poked out from his sash.

"I can't help it; I see a pretty girl and just have to try and charm them."

"Heh, I'm not that great looking. Besides, wouldn't Nanao be jealous if she heard you?" I replied. Silence greeted my words. Even the two Shinigami's Zanpakutō, who had been talking quietly to each other, fell silent.

_Ahh, I keep doing that. _

_Knowledge can be a burden, and is usually the cause of most problems in the world._

_You got that right, _I thought, staring up at the surprised faces of the two Captains. Shunsui was the first to recover. He scratched his head, still looking slightly surprised as he said, "Yes…I suppose she would. In fact, I'm going to go and see what she's doing." He turned and wandered lazily over to the door on the left, his Zanpakutō asking him how I knew about Nanao.

Jūshirō was staring down at me, a curious look on his face. I stared back, trying to keep my face neutral.

"Coming friend?" Shunsui asked, holding the door open and looking back at the white haired Captain. Jūshirō frowned slightly.

"Yes…" he replied, still giving me a funny look as he walked over to the door. Shunsui smiled over at me.

"Until we meet again, sweet Ryoka," he said as the two men left, causing my face to flame once more.

* * *

Thirdly, and probably the strangest of all; I swear half the Punishment Force ran through the room my cell was in on some urgent errand. They all looked like traditional ninjas, what with their only-eye-revealing face masks and near soundless steps. They all threw me dirty looks-probably because I had actually managed to avoid a good few packs of them in my headless run from my landing point-which I returned with gusto.

_Pretty accurate description there, _my inner voice commented dryly, causing me to flush. _I-wh-Shut up you! _I stuttered. My inner voice smirked.

* * *

**Me: Hope you liked the chapter. I shall be posting another chapter tomorrow as an extra treat for everyone, so, 'till then XD**

**Renji: Enjoy meeting everyone there?**

**Me: Yeap. Those Punishment force guys were cool, if a little creepy :)**

**Renji: that they are *looks up and notices misletoe* Hey, whats that?**

**Me: *Looks up and notices it as well* o_O uhhh, well, thats...misletoe, Renji**

**Renji: And what's it for?**

**Me: Well..um..when someone stands under it...they have to kiss the nearest person *blushes***

**Renji: o_O Oh...you mean like, a proper kiss? *also blushing***

**Me: Yeah**

**Renji: *smiles* Well, since you're the nearest person...*leans in and...***


	7. Making Friends

**Me: So, as promised, here is another chapter to keep everyone happy, as I probably won't be posting for a while, what with my A level maths exam in January *goes back to revising like a madwoman***

**Renji: *Pats my head* Ahh, you'll be fine!**

**Me: Thanks Renji :) Anywho, heres the disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters or storylines, sadly. Tite Kubo owns them. I do, however, own my Oc's XD**

**Renji: Now, on with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Making Friends

_Well, that was fun! _I exclaimed happily as the door closed behind the 5th and 3rd seats of the 11th Division. Ikkaku and Yumichika had come to 'take a look at the Ryoka' as they had so delicately put it. I had commented on how shiny Ikkaku's head was, which had caused the bald man to rage at me in his usual manner, and Yumichika had said, "Huh, a pretty face with a good sense of humour. A rare find indeed."

"You think I'm pretty?" I had asked, because I wasn't sure. Yumichika judged everything on how beautiful-or ugly-it was, which was why he had chosen to remain the 5th seat when he was qualified enough to be the empty position of the 4th seat. The Kanji for the 5th seat was closer in looks to that of the 3rd seat, which Yumichika considered to be the most beautiful but couldn't have since Ikkaku already had that position. He disliked the 4th seats Kanji.

"Well, you're not as blessed as I am, but you're heading in the right direction, what with that lovely blue fringe of yours," Yumichika replied, smiling slightly and examining his shiny nails.

Ikkaku had then decided that he'd had enough and left, taking Yumichika with him and leaving me to preen happily.

_Hah. Nice comment about that guy's baldness, _my inner voice snorted, laughing at the joke I had made. I grinned and laughed with it before closing my eyes and going back to my meditation.

A while later I was still sat in the same position; my legs folded, my hands resting in the middle of my lap one on top of the other and my eyes closed, when a sudden blindingly white orb entered my field of Spirit sense. I gasped and opened my eyes at the same time the main door was thrown open. A huge figure loomed in the doorway and I caught my breath.

Kenpachi Zaraki looked over at me, a maniacal grin stretching across his long face. I shrank slightly, feeling a flash of fear run through my veins as the Captain of the 11th division walked into the room, his ragged haori swishing against the floor. The scar that ran down the left side of his face and over his left eye stood out starkly against his prominent cheekbones.

"Finally found our way here," he commented in his deep, gravelly voice, his long, stringy black hair swaying as he turned his head from side to side, eyeing the terrified guard as a wolf does its prey. His eye patch was in place as usual, as was the bandaged sheath of his huge unnamed Zanpakutō.

His Zanpakutō was in constant Shikai state much like Ichigo's, due to it's wielders immense Spiritual Pressure. It had a jagged edge, as if it had been chipped and scratched numerous times, and was unnamed because Kenpachi hadn't bothered to learn it's name.

There was a slight blurring at the Captain's left shoulder and suddenly a small, pink haired girl appeared in front of me.

"Uwwaaaah!" I cried, leaping backwards in surprise. The pink haired girl, whom I now recognised as Kenpachi's Lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi, giggled and said, "Haha, I scared her Kenny~!"

_Kyaahh! She's just as cute in real life as she is in the anime and manga! _I thought delightedly, now recovered from the surprise of the Lieutenants sudden appearance, although I shouldn't really have been surprised as everywhere Kenpachi went, Yachiru was sure to perch on his left shoulder and go with him. I had to fight the urge to clap my hands to my cheeks and make a face, because she really was too adorable for words, what with her pink hair, wide dark pink eyes, skull and cross bones clip on the left side of her head and her child like appearance.

_Gah, you are so weird! I can't stand being around you when you're like this, _moaned my inner voice, seeming to shudder with revulsion. _That Lieutenant is _not _cute at all, and her Captain's a crazy power house so don't piss him off-!_

_She is to! _I retorted. _And when have I been like this when you were around?_

My inner voice was about to reply when Kenpachi spoke again, sounding unhappy. "Yachiru, you said that this Ryoka was as strong as me, but all I can sense from her is a pathetic Spiritual Pressure that even an unseated officer could beat."

"Yeah, but if I told you the truth you wouldn't have come here Kenny~. And I _really _wanted to see her!" Yachiru smiled dazzlingly at her Captain, her perpetual blush red against her cheeks. Kenpachi sighed, scratching the back of his head and frowning before turning to leave. "I'm disappointed."

"Likewise," I said, causing the big Captain to turn and look at me fully. Yachiru stood of to one side, smiling, her hands clasped behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her small feet.

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean that I'm as disappointed as you are," I replied, standing up and gripping the bars, grinning at my favourite Captain. When he still looked slightly confused I explained.

"What I mean is that I'm disappointed I'm not strong enough to even have a hope of holding my own against you, let alone give you the good fight you want. It would have been fun to be able to test myself against you and not die within the first few seconds." As I said this I was surprised to find that I actually meant it. I had never been one for true, bloody, fight-to-the-death combat in the real world; even some of the minor battles in Bleach had made me flinch. But here I was, saying that I wouldn't mind going all out, with the high possibility that I would lose more than just a lot of blood, against the most bloodthirsty Captain in all the 13 court guard squads. And I really did mean it.

My inner voice had nothing to say about my apparent change of nature, but I swear it gave it's approximation of a wicked grin.

Kenpachi seemed to be looking at me properly for the first time, a calculating look on his face as he tried to see whether I meant what I had said. After a few more moments of silence his Spiritual Pressure flashed violently, showing me gory images of how he thought that fight would have gone, and another maniacal grin stretching his lips wide.

"Heh, seems that coming here wasn't a complete waste of time. If you ever get outa this place, you should go join the Shinigami Academy and try and get stronger. Graduate successfully, and then we'll see if you're strong enough for me to take proper notice of you. If you are…" His grin became wider and he turned again to leave, opening the door and nearly squishing the terrified guard. "…Well, then we'll see about that fight."

With that, he left the room, taking the heavy weight of his Spiritual Pressure with him. Yachiru was grinning at me. "Thank you for giving Kenny something to look forward to, Bluey!"

"Bluey?" I questioned as the childlike Shinigami left the room. It seemed as though Yachiru had decided to give me a nickname, as she did to a lot of others. At least mine, probably because of my fringe, made sense. Some of her nicknames, like 'Pencil' for Uryū Ishida, were just plain strange.

_Did you hear that Captain's Zanpakutō? _my inner voice said in a quiet voice. It seemed disturbed, and I knew why. Kenpachi's Zanpakutō, unlike everyone else's, hadn't been trying to speak to him. It had simply been howling in such a mournful, lonely way that I had had to stop myself from covering my ears and hiding from it. It had rung through the room so loudly that I was amazed that nobody else had heard it. I looked down at my feet.

_Yeah. I really hope that he learns it's name soon a-_

"Making a few friends are you?" came a voice, interrupting my thoughts. I looked up and saw Renji leaning against the wall on the right, one leg bent with the foot resting against the wall, his arms folded and his eyes closed. He had bandages around his arms. There was a white plaster-bandage-thing on his left cheek and one on his chin.

_I didn't even sense him come in._

"Yep. Does it matter?" I asked, studying him whilst he wasn't looking. He was still as good looking as ever, with his long red hair slightly dishevelled and his white kimono with pink floral patterns on it-_What!_

It seemed that Renji had chosen to wear his night clothing to come and visit me, and _damn _he looked good in it. I had to stop a sigh from escaping my lips and my hand from fanning my blushing face.

_Wow._

"Well, it kinda does since you're supposed to be an enemy." He turned and opened his eyes to look at me as he said this, showing that he had more bandage plasters on the other side of his face as well. I really had done a number on him.

"I'm sorry about those cuts and those broken ribs I gave you," I said, still blushing slightly at the sight of his partially bared chest-not that I was complaining. That comment earned a derisive snort from the red haired Shinigami. He turned his head away again and stared across at the opposite wall.

"Che, yeah right. You didn't look sorry at the time."

"Yeah, but that was when you were trying to kill me."

"Hmph."

_I can't understand why you are fond of this man; he is extremely annoying, _my inner voice said, it's deep voice taking on a wondering tone.

_Yes, I can agree with that._

I sighed quietly and leant sideways against the bars, closing my eyes as well.

"Why are you sorry, anyway?" I opened one eye lazily and looked at the Lieutenant for a moment before closing it again. My sarcastic side wanted to come out and play, and as hard as I tried to stop it would not be refused (I think my inner voice had something to do with that).

"Because those plasters make you look more ridiculous than usual." I heard Renji sputter in disbelief and I chuckled quietly.

"I do _not _look ridiculous" he said, annoyance lacing his now very close by voice. I opened my eyes and found myself staring up into Renji's brown eyes. His brow was furrowed, and before I could stop it my inner voice took a hold of my vocal chords (how the _heck _was it doing these things?) and said for me, "Well, Pineapple Head, your eyebrows beg to differ." A visible tick formed on his forehead.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Pineapple," my inner voice continued before I forced it back down again. _SHUT IT YOU!_

_Hehehe._

Renji stood there for a moment before starting to rage at me, much like Ikkaku had earlier. Despite the fact that I really hadn't want to make him mad I found myself smirking. He was funny when he was angry

Finishing his rant with a few choice words he stomped back over to the wall and leant against it again, the tick still twitching in his forehead. I covered my mouth, hiding my smile. _See, it's always fun when you make someone angry when they can't hurt you._

_Oh shut up, _I replied, fighting to keep a smile from my thoughts. _How did you use my voice to speak anyway?_

My inner voice didn't answer even though I knew it had heard me. It seemed to try and hide itself from me. _Odd thing._

We stood there in silence for a while; the guard still trying to unkink his uniform from where Kenpachi had squished him with the door; Renji exuding an aura of annoyance and me just happy to stand and half sleep, trying to ignore the fact that I had annoyed my favourite character again. After a while though, I couldn't stand it any longer. _I'm going to try and repair the damage you did and get in Renji's good books._

_Wha? No, wait-!_

"Lieutenant Abarai…?"

Silence.

"Lieutenant?"

A grunt was all I got, so I decided to try and get his attention another way. Walking back over to my bed, I grabbed the small pillow from where it lay and strode back over to the bars of my cell. Slipping the pillow through the bars I drew back my arm, hurled the pillow at the stubborn red head and yelled, "OI, Pineapple Head, I'm _talking _to you!"

The pillow hit him on the head with a PUUF, causing his bandana to slip up and reveal more of his tattoos. Renji blinked as the pillow dropped to the ground and then turned to stare at me, a disbelieving expression on his face.

"Did you just throw that pillow at me?" he asked, pulling his bandanna back down and glaring at me.

"No, Pineapple, I didn't. It was the wind," I said sarcastically. "And don't look at me like that; I did it to get your attention because it seemed that you couldn't hear my polite question before." Renji stared at me before speaking.

"Don't call me Pineapple."

"Well listen to me then" I retorted, causing Renji to draw a hand down his face a sigh loudly with frustration. "What do you want, Ryoka?"

"Can we just start on a clean slate from now?" I asked, causing the Lieutenant to raise an eyebrow. Zabimaru, who was hanging from its wielders grey sash at his waist, seemed just as surprised. _"Strange Ryoka," _both the male and female voices said in unison.

"A clean slate?"

"Yeah. A fresh start. I forget about your attempt to kill me, and you forget about me injuring you. You can still treat me like a normal Ryoka, but I don't want any bad air between us. Deal?" I asked, stretching a hand through the bars and holding it out for him to shake. I felt a nervous flutter shift in my stomach, but my inner voice pushed it down, seemingly disliking it. Renji looked at me oddly, his tattooed eyebrows now almost disappearing beneath his maroon bandana.

"Pleeeeease? I'm just trying to make friends," I wheedled. Renji stared at me for a moment longer before snorting slightly, a tiny smile stretched across his lips, sending my stomach fluttering again. _Please, please, please let me get in his good books. Please!_

"You are a strange Ryoka, aren't you? First you run away, then you break my ribs, then you insult me, call me names and throw a pillow at me, and now you want to make friends with me?" he said, shaking his head.

He stared at my hopeful expression for a moment longer, his smile widening, before bending down and picking up the pillow. Quick as a whip he flung the pillow back at me, sending it crashing into my face with almost enough force to knock me over. As I sputtered and shook my head I felt something warm grip my still outstretched hand. I looked down and found my hand clasped by a larger one. Feeling a grin spread across my lips, and ignoring the raging voice inside me, I looked up and met Renji's friendlier gaze as he said, "Che. Alright, deal," with a slight laugh in his voice. The slight flutter danced around my stomach again.

I felt a surge of elation flow through me as we shook once before breaking apart. Renji didn't go back to the wall; instead he leant against the bars next to me, his arms crossed in a relaxed way and a lazy grin adding warmth to his eyes. He smelt nice, like freshly cut grass and something else that I couldn't put my finger on. My inner voice was grumbling again about making friends with the wrong people, but I ignored it. The guard had finally managed to straighten his Shihakusho and was standing at attention again.

After a brief silence Renji spoke. "So, Shorty, why're you here?"

"I have a name, y' know Lieutenant. And I am _not _short!" I said indignantly, only just realizing what he had called me. The Lieutenant laughed and replied, "And I'm not a Pineapple Head."

"I only called you that to get your attention. Don't call me Shorty or I'll break your ribs again." Renji snorted.

"Ha, miracles don't happen twice ya know. Alright, what's your name then?"

"Taiyesha. Taiyesha Tategaowa," I said, and then automatically added, "Well, that's my name in this place anyway." It was only as the Lieutenant raised an eyebrow and asked, "What d'you mean, 'your name in this place'?" that I realized what I had said.

_Oops._

_Yeah, oops, _my inner voice berated me. I shook my head, knowing that Renji wouldn't leave me alone until he had an answer. "Taiyesha Tategaowa isn't my real name."

"And what is?" Renji asked, curiosity emanating from both him and Zabimaru.

"My real name is Natassha Woodley. And in answer to your other question, I have absolutely no idea why I'm here," I replied before Renji could question me on my real name. He frowned, his brow furrowing as he scrutinized me. I had to steer the topic of conversation away from my name, and fast, before things got complicated.

"Did you catch that water bottle I threw at you?"

"Wha? Oh, yeah. Well, I would have done if I'd not seen you Flash Step of and gone after you." He grinned wolfishly, causing me to smile. "So, you're saying that you don't know why you're here?" Renji asked, thankfully taking the bait. I shook my head.

"Or, for that matter, how I got here in the first place."

"Really?" his voice was skeptical.

"Yeah," I said in an annoyed tone. "All I remember is going to sleep at my home, hearing a few crashes in what I thought was a dream and then waking up in the middle of a crater in the Seireitei. Don't you believe me?" My fringe swung into my eye and I brushed it angrily away, glaring at the Lieutenant.

Renji looked as though he was about to answer, but stiffened slightly when Zabimaru spoke to him, it's twin voices taking turns to speak.

_"She speaks the truth," _the female voice said. I listened intently, as did my inner voice. I couldn't hear Renji's thoughts (although that would be pretty cool), but I could safely assume he asked something like, _"How do you know?"_

because Zabimaru replied, _"We Zanpakutō can tell if anyone with a reasonably strong Spirit is lying, and this girl is telling the truth. She does not know why she is here or how she got here." _That was the male voice speaking

I fought the urge to thank Zabimaru. _Thank god for Zanpakutō and their abilities, _I thought. My inner voice _hmmmed. _Renji relaxed again, obviously done with his conversation with Zabimaru, and said, "Well, it's strange, but I guess it could be true." I nodded and shifted slightly, resting my hip against one of the bars and curling one leg around the other, as was my habit.

"It is. So Lieutenant, why are _you_ here?" I gestured to the room in general. The red head shrugged, closing his eyes. "My Captain told me to come and wait here."

"In your night clothing?" I asked slyly. Renji said nothing, but I could see a blush rising on his cheeks. I laughed softly.

We lapsed into silence, and after a moment I pushed off from the bars with my hip and turned to face the front of the room again, folding onto the floor and crossing my legs under me, letting my hands rest in my lap one on top of the other. I sensed Renji looking at me and glanced up, smiling slightly before turning away and closing my eyes. He stayed where he was, much to my surprise; his Spirit Orb not shifting in my Spirit sense. His presence was somehow comforting, like my Sheet.

_Oh, decided to talk to me have you? _My inner voice said in it's smooth tones. I sighed mentally and replied, _Yes, I have. In any case, _you_ were the one that didn't talk to _me_ when I was speaking with Renji._

_ Humph._

It was quiet for a moment, apart from the constant moaning of the guards unheard Zanpakutō, but then my inner voice spoke up suddenly. _Taiyesha? _

_Hmmm?_

_Can you…think of a song for me?_ As soon as my inner voice asked this it seemed to clamp down on itself, feeling both embarrassed and utterly confused that it had asked that. _How odd, something managing to confuse itself, _I thought to myself, but I indulged it nonetheless. Picking out the last song I had been listening to (Your Hand in Mine by Explosions in The Sky), I began to hum it in my mind. Gradually, my inner voice stopped beating itself up and started to listen. Eventually it even started to hum along to it as well.

* * *

**Me: Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. 'Specially Renji in his night clothing. I know I did *winks***

**Renji: *scratches back of his head in embaresment***

**Me: 'Til next time guys! *runs of with Renji into the sunset* XD**


	8. Taking A Trip

**Me: Hey everyone, sorry about not posting since last year :P I've been very busy as I've really started to revise properly now, and have an art coursework deadline next week, so this is the only time I've really had to myself recently.**

**Renji: Excuses, excuses, excuses.**

**Me: They are NOT excuses! *throws a snowball at him as we've had snow recently***

**Renji: *Brushes snow of before glaring at me* Fine, if thats how ya wanna play *starts a snowball fight of epic proportions***

**Me: *dodges a snowball* Well, whilst I beat the crap outta Renji, you people out there enjoy the chapter, and review if your feeling generou-OOF *gets decked by a giant snowball***

**Renji: Haha!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Taking A Trip

A few minutes later, just when the song I had been humming ended as it so happened, a Captain level Spiritual Pressure entered my vision. It was quite far away, but I still knew who's it was. I sat up straighter and opened my eyes, watching the door with keen eyes. My inner voice, which had settled and almost fallen asleep, also woke itself up and watched with me. Renji seemed to sense my shift in states, because he opened his eyes and asked, "What?"

I glanced up at him, catching his eye and saying, "It seems your Captain has decided to come and pay me a visit." He blinked slowly, probably looking with his Spirit sense to see if I was telling the truth, and then stood up straighter.

The door by the side of the guard opened to reveal the slim figure of Byakuya Kuchiki. His eyes swept the room, taking in Renji in his night clothing before zeroing in on me. The Captain paused on the threshold before stepping soundlessly in.

Renji was slouching slightly against the bars again, watching Byakuya as he looked over at the guard, who stood swiftly to attention. "Open the door to the Ryoka's cell and handcuff her," he said in his emotionless voice. The guard nodded stiffly before hurrying from the room, probably to get some of the Reiryoku suppressing cuffs used on most prisoners.

_Come to think of it, _I thought as Byakuya regarded me impassively, with Senbonzakura seeming to be watching me as he ignored Zabimaru's tentative greeting; _why didn't I have them put on me in the first place? I have Spiritual Pressure, I think, and I managed to stop Byakuya's Senka with just my arm, so surely I must be powerful enough to be a threat?_

_Yes, you are, _my inner voice said with a sigh. _But you have not been trained in the ways of the Shinigami, and so cannot use your Spiritual Energy to break out. You may be able to use Shunpo, _it cut in as I began to protest, _but that will do you no good in a room with bars across the front._

_Eh, I guess so. Still, why are they putting them on now? Are they planning on taking me out of this cell?_

_Probably. They're putting the cuffs on you because without them you could just Flash Step away, moron._

_Oh, yeah, _I thought sheepishly, and my inner voice rolled it's non-existent eyes.

I gave a half smile, but my mind had already drifted to other matters. I had a question that needed answering; something that had been nagging me ever since I'd woken up after falling at Byakuya's feet to still find myself alive.

"Captain Kuchiki?" I asked, standing up and straightening my robe. Byakuya said nothing, so I continued. "May I ask you a question?"

_You've already asked him two, _my inner voice observed, giving me a cheeky grin. I ignored it and waited for Byakuya to speak.

After a moment of silence in which the Captain watched me with his grey eyes, making me fidget slightly, he replied, "You may."

I took a breath. "Why am I still alive? You could have killed me when I fell, and yet you didn't. I want to know why." Byakuya watched me for a moment more before turning his gaze away. He closed his eyes as he replied quietly, "Because you still have your left arm and your powers."

_Eh? What does he-WAIT, MY LEFT ARM!? _I guessed what he meant and whipped around to face Renji, my gaze furious. "You tried to cut off my left arm?" I hissed, Flash Stepping over to where the red head was and grabbing the front of his robe through the bars before he got out of reach. Despite my anger I felt butterflies flit through my stomach as my hand grazed his bare skin.

I couldn't lift him up like he probably could have done to me if our positions were switched, but I still managed to haul him close and glare at him.

"Well, I wasn't really trying to cut your arm of," he said, rubbing the back of his head. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his head, and suddenly I realized that I my Spiritual Pressure had flared with my anger. I'd never been able to do _that _before.

"What were you trying to do then?"

"I was aiming to cut you across your back, but you'd turned round before I could." I narrowed my eyes at him, causing him to grin in a slightly sheepish way. Letting him go I turned away, crossing my arms and making a conscious effort to suppress my Spiritual Pressure.

_He _was _trying to kill you, y'know, _my inner voice said, helping me keep my Spiritual Pressure from flaring up once more. Now that I'd discovered it, it didn't seem to want to be hidden away again.

_I know, but I still don't like the thought that he would have cut of my arm without a second thought._

_Idiot._

Silence reigned supreme until the guard re-entered, holding a pair of normal looking handcuffs. I guessed they were made out of the same rock the wall that surrounded the Seireitei was made from. Stepping around Byakuya he walked over to the door to my cell and unlocked it before stepping inside. I unfolded my arms and held them out in front of me, surprising the guard who probably thought I would kick up a fuss.

As the locks clicked into place and the man grasped my arm, pulling me through the cell door, I turned to Byakuya and asked, "Captain Kuchiki, where are you taking me?" I assumed he would be the one, along with Renji as I could see no other reason why Byakuya would tell him to wait here, to escort me to wherever I was going. The guard let me go so that I was stood in front of the Captain, staring up at him. I wasn't as afraid of him as I had been when I'd first seen him, as it seemed he wouldn't be taking my life. For now at least.

Opening his eyes and turning, Byakuya chose to ignore my question as the guard opened the door and he stepped through. I felt Renji step behind me and give me a gentle shove forward. "C'mon Shorty, move!"

"I told you, I'm not short. If you're going to call me anything use my name!" I hissed back. Renji said nothing; just prodded me in the back again.

_He's really starting to get on my nerves, _my inner voice stated. It seemed as though I could still talk to it even with the cuffs on, so it wasn't part of my Reiryoku or Reiatsu.

Padding forward on bare feet I hurried to catch up to the Captain, who was quite a way ahead down the balcony thing running the length of the side of a building leading to my cell. As I fell into step beside him, with Renji on my other side, the Captain spoke to the Lieutenant. "Renji."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Go and change into some…proper clothing before we reach squad 1's barracks-!"

"Wait, squad 1! Why are we going there?!" I interrupted, my stomach dropping unpleasantly, like when you miss a step on the stairs and think you're going to die. Byakuya said nothing; instead he stopped and turned to stare down at me with a look that made me shrink away from him. _Eeep!_

"We are going there because Head Captain Yamamoto wishes to see you," he finally replied, his scary expression disappearing as he turned back to Renji, who had been smirking at my predicament but now quickly wiped the look from his face. _Head Captain Yamamoto? Ahh phooey, now I'm really in for it._

_ Don't worry, _my inner voice said calmly, _I'll be here if anything…unpleasant starts up._

_Thanks, _I replied gratefully, and my inner voice seemed to dip it's non-existent head in response.

Renji nodded in response to whatever Byakuya had just said, and seemed about to Flash Step back to squad 6's barracks. I felt the overwhelming urge to get him back for smirking at me when Captain Kuchiki had been intimidating me take me over, and so decided to allow it just this once. As Renji began to Flash Step I nonchalantly swept out my right leg and tripped him up, sending him crashing along the balcony thing still in Flash Step.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! he went, bouncing along the ground faster than the eye could see. I fought to keep a straight face, aware that Byakuya was staring at me, but I lost that battle as soon as Renji reappeared at normal speed, lying in a heap at the other end of the balcony thing, his kimono and hair all out of place.

"PfffffHAHAHAHA!" I laughed, my inner voice joining in on the fun as well. I almost had control of myself, but then I saw Renji's expression- bright red from blushing and a mixture of anger and embarrassment-before he Flash Stepped away, and started laughing all over again.

When I had finally managed to reduce my full on tears-streaming-down-my-face laughter into the occasional snicker, and my inner voice had finished rolling about, I looked over to my left to find Byakuya staring at me, one eyebrow raised minutely and, surprisingly, one corner of his sculpted lips curving up infinitesimally-I was sure it wasn't my imagination. That was Byakuya's equivalent of asking what the hell I was doing whilst fighting not to laugh. I think.

I shrugged one shoulder. Byakuya looked at me for a moment longer before turning away and walking forward again. I followed.

We carried on for a while; walking purposefully from Squad 4's barracks and up to where I assumed Squad 1 was. They had never shown exactly where Squad 1 was in either the anime or the manga, so I had no idea of where we were going. As we walked, Captain Kuchiki keeping to his customary silence and me looking around with not a little awe at the place I had always wanted to go, Shinigami that were wandering around on various errands watched curiously as I passed. I began to feel uncomfortable, and reached up with my still cuffed hands to grasp my necklace as I always did when in need of some comfort. But when my hand touched bare skin I remembered, yet again, that it was not there. I made an unhappy noise and dropped my hands.

_You've got me, _my inner voice said in a gentle tone. I gave a wobbly smile and continued to walk beside Byakuya.

A while later, as we continued to climb high (we had reached the center of the Seireitei a few minutes ago), Renji's Spiritual Pressure Orb popped into view at the very edge of my Spirit sense. It seemed he had finally changed out of his (veeeery nice) night clothing and into his proper robes. He seemed to be rather annoyed at me, causing me to snicker slightly. Byakuya took no notice of me.

Renji's Spiritual Pressure Orb then appeared _very _close to me. So close in fact that it seemed-I leapt into the air, curling my feet under me as Renji Flash Stepped next to me, his leg sweeping out to try and do to me what I had done to him.

I landed lightly, a triumphant smile on my lips. My inner voice was pleased as well; _I didn't even have to help you that time!_

"Nice try, Pineapple," I said with a smirk. Renji growled with annoyance before grabbing the top of my head and bending down so that he was at my level. "I told you not to call me Pineapple," he said in a low, supposed-to-be-menacing voice.

"Oh? And what are you going to do about it if I do, Pineapple?" _Man, I really need to stop insulting him. Then again, it really is too tempting to ignore. _Renji narrowed his eyes at me and was about to speak again when there was a gentle TAP next to us. We both turned to see what the source of the noise was and found ourselves staring up at a very un-amused looking Byakuya.

"Have you forgotten that we are going to a meeting with the Head Captain? Your childish behavior is keeping us from that meeting. Do not do it again." As he spoke, his voice became colder and shadows seemed to add a bit more menace to his noble features. Renji and I both put on identical, too wide smiles and jumped apart, praying that the Captain would leave it at that. He did. _You like pissing powerful people of, don't you? _My inner voice asked, amusement colouring its tone.

_No, but I seem to have a knack for doing it anyway._

_True._

As we started after the Captain again I threw a sidelong glance at the tall red head beside me. He was watching his Captain, but when he sensed my gaze he looked down at me. I smiled mischievously at him. Renji turned away again, but I could see the corners of his lips beginning to quirk upwards in a smile. _Seems he doesn't mind as much as he used to if his Captain is annoyed at him._

I examined him from the corner of my eye as we entered a long street like place. He wore the standard Shinigami uniform, but he had long, dark straps on each wrist and bandages over his arms. The Lieutenant's badge for the 6th division was tied around his left arm.

We walked down the street, followed by the stares of many Soul Reapers who were running errands. As we neared the other end of the street I noticed the large, golden roofed building in front of us. On it was the insignia for the 1st division. I felt a fearful thrill go through me as we drew closer to the large doors of the building, which were flanked by several guards whose hands rested on their Zanpakutō.As soon as they saw us approaching they stepped forward and pushed open the giant doors, which swung inward to reveal a long corridor ending in another large door that also had the 1st division's insignia on it. There was also a balcony running around the building, along with several doors, two of which I assumed were the Captain's meeting room and the Lieutenant's meeting room.

Byakuya ignored the guards, who greeted him and Renji with a bow and their honorifics. I glanced at them, but they were studiously ignoring me. Sighing, I blew my fringe from my eye, blinking slightly as we stepped into the shade of the corridor. The long wooden walls stretched towards the door at the end, which was like a typical Japanese screen door.

My fringe decided to make another appearance, and I tried to get it to go behind my ear again. _Why did you dye it blue instead of red, or purple? _My inner voice asked.

_Because blue is my favorite colour._

_Purples much better._

_It is a nice colour, I agree, but I just prefer blue. I would have dyed it purple if I hadn't been able to dye it blue, _I replied, much to my inner voices delight.

Again my fringe re-appeared, and this time I just got fed up. Lifting my cuffed hands I grabbed it and shoved it behind my ear. Normally I wouldn't mind, but when going into the same room as the most powerful Shinigami in existence, excluding Ichigo, I wanted to be able to see properly and not have hair getting in the way.

As we got nearer I began to slow down, nerves beginning to get the better of me. My Spirit Sense was completely filled with the Spirit Orb belonging Yamamoto. It was so bright I was surprised that I wasn't blinded by it.

"Che, scared?" Renji asked, pulling my attention to him as he smiled down at me. Not giving me a chance to reply he continued, "Don't be; I doubt what you did is serious enough to get any _severe _punishment," tipping his head back and clasping his hands behind as he walked. I tried to smile back, but felt myself drifting closer to my favorite red head all the same.

_This should be fun, meeting someone _this _powerful! _my inner voice said gleefully, trying to convince me that this was true. I must admit; I was kind of looking forward to meeting Yamamoto. I mean, how often do you get to meet someone as awesome as him? Then again, I really shouldn't be meeting him as Bleach _shouldn't _be real.

_Well, I guess it _could _be fun, if he doesn't use __Ryūjin Jakka to burn me to a crisp that is, _I said as I hunched my shoulders as if to protect myself. My inner voice seemed about to reply when another, obnoxiously loud voice rang out in my mind: _"You _finally _made it, Senbonzakura, Zabimaru. What took you so long? Was it just you're general lack of speed or was something _actually _holding you back?" _The voice dripped with sarcasm, and I immediately guessed that this voice-one that seemed to hold a hissing, flame like tone to it-was Ryūjin Jakka. They had never shown the Zanpakutō to actually have the ability to speak in the anime or manga, but I had always thought that he did have a voice.

As soon as Ryūjin Jakka made this rather nasty comment both Senbonzakura and Zabimaru retorted with similar remarks. It seemed that the most powerful Zanpakutō in all of Soul Society was rather arrogant, and had a bone to pick with these two. Whatever the reason, their argument set my head a-ringing as the doors at the end of the corridor were opened to reveal the office beyond.

_ Oh brilliant, just what I needed. Especially since I haven't had any food since last night, _I thought angrily, my no-food-for-several-hours getting the best of me as my nerves began to fray.

_Try and shut them out. Here, let me help you, _my inner voice said with a small sigh. A slight humming sound started up in my mind, and this managed to mostly block out the squabbling Zanpakutō. It was easy to get used to, so by the time we reached the large wooden desk with an amazing view of the Seireitei to the right I was back to being calm.

_Thanks, oh mysterious voice of mine, _I grinned inwardly, mirroring my inner voice. I kept my head down, looking at my bare toes. I wanted to look up, but at the same time didn't as Yamamoto could paralyze a Lieutenant level Shinigami with a single glance if he wanted to. I took a small step closer to Renji. As I thought this Byakuya stepped forward and addressed the figure stood at the desk. "Head Captain Yamamoto, I have brought the Ryoka as you requested."

"Good," came the reply, Yamamoto's deep voice sounding exactly as it always did. I felt something dig into my side and looked up to find Renji staring down at me. When he saw that he had caught my eye he flicked his gaze towards Yamamoto. I blinked, then turned my gaze towards Byakuya. The silent Captain hadn't turned his head as Renji had done, but his grey eyes were on me. _Welp, here goes nothing then, _I thought before turning to look at the Head Captain.

* * *

**Me: *Standing victoriously on a snow covered Renji* Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Again, I probably won't be posting for a while as I have an art exam comming up, and that will take up _a lot _of my weekends.**

**Renji: Geroff me dammit! *tries and fails to move under the massive pile of snow***

**Me: No can do my friend XD**


	9. Judgement

**Me: Man, I haven't updated in aaaaaaaages. I'm very sorry about that *smiles sheepishly.***

**Renji: Oh, so your actually going to do some writing now and not go of on holiday without telling me huh? *Gives me an annoyed look***

**Me: *glopms Renji* I'm sorry Renji! I would have taken you, but you would have had to get up _really _early to come with me :(**

**Renji: Oh, right. In that case, I'm fine with you leaving me here. Devicorn does not own Bleach, nor any of the characters in it. Just her OC-waaaa! *Topples over due to being glomped so much***

**Me: Sorry! XD**

* * *

Chapter 9:Judgement

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was stood as he normally was-with the cane that contained Ryūjin Jakka under his right hand-the other one, along with the rest of his left arm, having been lost in his brief confrontation with that traitorous bastard Aizen-his Captain's haori draped over his surprisingly muscular frame, which was hidden under the normal Shinigami uniform.

His long white beard was crisscrossed elegantly with a purple ribbon, and his long white eyebrows hung above his red eyes; only one of which was currently open and looking at me. His bald head had the distinctive 'X' shaped scar above his right eye.

I stared at him as he stared at me; in complete silence permeated only-to my senses at least-by the bickering Zanpakutō who seemed to be able to find millions of things wrong with each other to comment upon. _Gah, they're so annoying, _I complained unhappily as I stood quietly next to Byakuya and Renji, fighting not to squirm under the scrutinizing Yamamoto was giving me.

"It is always the youngest that cause the most trouble," the Head Captain sighed as he walked around his desk and came to a stop in front of me. The aura he exuded was frighteningly powerful; I couldn't even move, and I doubted that Yamamoto was even giving of a quarter of his Spiritual Pressure.

"Tell me, Ryoka, why exactly are you here? There is nobody here that has been wrongfully accused of a crime and imprisoned, and you are the only invader we have found." _Damn, he's suffocating me just by standing there! _I thought, looking over at Byakuya and Renji to see if they were experiencing something similar.

By the looks of things, they were. Renji was standing as stiff as a board, and I could see tremors running through him. Byakuya looked deceptively relaxed, but his eyes were closed tighter than usual.

I coughed and cleared my throat, willing myself to speak up against the oppressive tide of Spiritual Pressure. "I don't know," I whispered, my voice suddenly hoarse.

"You don't know? Hmmmm. Well, how did you get here; it should be impossible to get through the barrier around the Seireitei."

"I don't know that either, Head Captain," I replied, looking down and trying to ignore the bickering Zanpakutō and Yamamoto's Spiritual Pressure. "All I can remember," I continued, gaining a bit of confidence, "is going to sleep in my world, feeling as though I crashed into, and went through, something and then hitting something and blacking out."

"Your world?" Yamamoto asked in a surprised voice. "Do you mean the World of The Living?"

"No. I mean a completely different world," I started, before, with permission from my inner voice in the form of a, _Well, I suppose you'd have had to tell them at _some _stage, _beginning to explain where I came from. I explained how I knew about the Shinigami (Renji's face was priceless when I told him about the program. He even blushed slightly. Byakuya looked slightly mortified when I reached the part about his childhood), and that I had always believed this place to be non-existent. During this explanation Byakuya opened his eyes, which got wider and wider as my story went on, and Yamamoto opened both of his eyes.

"…And so I have absolutely no idea why I'm here, how I got here, and how I managed to gain Spiritual Pressure and take out two Lieutenants," I finished. The Zanpakutō had stopped arguing as I had explained my very odd situation, but as soon as the last words had been spoken Ryūjin Jakka started on Senbonzakura and Zabimaru again.

"That is a very well thought out story, but-"

"It's NOT story!" I cried, frustration getting the better of me and causing my Spiritual Pressure to flare inside of me before, without having anywhere to go, dying down again. The Head Captain stared at me before beginning to speak, but before he could get a word out Ryūjin Jakka spoke up on my behalf. _"She speaks the truth," _he said before going back to arguing with Renji and Byakuya's Zanpakutō's. Yamamoto had obviously already discovered that a Zanpakutō knew when someone was lying or not, as he merely said, "I see."

"Head Captain, if she's telling the truth then what're we going to do with her?" Renji asked, still eyeing me. I gave him a small smile, but it quickly disappeared as Zabimaru's female voice screeched, _"I am NOT ugly!"_

I huffed in annoyance and closed my eyes like Byakuya often did, and my inner voice set up the humming to try and block them out. _Breathe, _it said in a soothing voice, _breathe and you'll be fine._

_Hmph. I'll be fine when these three stop arguing about nothing._

_Mph. I think everyone would be._

Byakuya was speaking, "…could just erase her memories of this…place that she claims to come from and put her in the Rukongai, along with all the other Souls."

"That wouldn't work," I stated through gritted teeth, "because you'd essentially be erasing my entire life." I then lapsed back into silence, trying to not let the voices get to me any more than they already had. But that wasn't working, as the Zanpakutō were just getting louder and louder.

_Shut up, _my inner voice growled at them, the ever present edge of amusement disappearing.

Yamamoto was talking, but I could barely hear him over the raging argument of the three stupid Spirits. "We could just…"

_"SHUT UP YOU IMBECILE," _Zabimaru and Senbonzakura screamed in unison.

"…but we don't know how she…" Renji spoke up.

_"Ooooh, I'm an imbecile am I? Well, you're-," _I felt a tick forming above my right eye.

"-probably wouldn't-"

_"-DAMN IT YOU-," _I balled my fists.

"-I can't-"

_"-ASSH-!"_

"-We-!"

"Shut up Shut up SHUT UP!" I yelled, my already frayed nerves snapping completely. Opening my eyes I glared at the offending Zanpakutō in turn.

"Ryūjin Jakka; DON'T antagonize Senbonzakura and Zabimaru for the sake of it. If you have a bone to pick with them, DO IT WHEN I'M NOT IN THE ROOM! Senbonzakura and Zabimaru; you DON'T need to rise to the bait. Ignore Ryūjin Jakka and BE MATURE! _DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR_?!"

When I heard nothing I unclenched my hands and closed my eyes again. "_Thank_youuu," I sighed, before falling quiet again and waiting to hear what the Head Captain was going to say about my fate.

Only, there was nobody else speaking. Even the Zanpakutō were silent, emitting auras of complete astonishment and confusion. Opening my eyes, I gave Renji a questioning look, but the look on his face was one of shock and not a little alarm. _What the hell?_

I looked over at Byakuya, hoping to get an answer from him. He was staring down at me as well, his face just as impassive as ever.

Apart from his eyes. The grey orbs were wide with surprise and…was that fear?

I turned to Yamamoto. Both of his eyes were narrowed in my direction. His Reiatsu was sparking with surprise.

"What?" I asked, frowning.

_YOU IDIOT, YOU JUST SPOKE TO THE ZANPAKUTŌ ALOUD! _ my inner voice screamed, causing me to flinch, seeming to stamp up and down in anger and frustration.

_Oh god, I did didn't I? Ahh Fudge Bucket._

_Fudge Bucket!? FUDGE BUCKET IS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!? WHY I-!_

"Who were you talking to?" Yamamoto questioned, looming over me and causing me to shrink back in fear.

"Th-The Zanpakutō, Head Captain," I stuttered.

"That shouldn't be possible," Renji thought aloud, his wary gaze still fixed on me. I sighed.

"I really can hear your Zanpakutō. In fact, I've been able to hear them ever since Byakuya tried to kill me with his Senka," I said before closing my mouth with a snap, realizing I may have said too much. Or rather, my inner voice clamped it shut for me.

"Hmmmm," Yamamoto mused, his hand unfolding and folding again around the cane that contained his Zanpakutō. I stole a glance at Byakuya, who lips were slightly parted, and at Renji, who was frowning down at me, his reddish brown eyes narrowed and still full of surprise and fear. _Ahh, I don't want him to fear me; I'm not that scary, am I?_

_You can be, _my inner voice replied with a half-smile. It seemed to have gotten over it's momentary rage at me. In fact, it seemed to be…pleased that I had told them about the fact I could hear their swords speaking.

_This means that they will most definitely not kill you now, _was it's reasoning, which was pretty sound to me.

"There is only one way for us to test this," the Head Captain spoke up once again. Ryūjin Jakka had been quiet up until then, but as the Head Captain spoke he seemed to perk up. _"I see…" _he murmured.

"Ryoka; I will ask my Zanpakutō to say something. If you can hear it I would like you to repeat it out loud. My Zanpakutō will also tell Captain Kuchiki's and Lieutenant Abarai's Zanpakutō, who in turn will tell their wielders so that they, too, know what it is that I want you to repeat. Do you understand?" The Head Captain asked.

I nodded, waiting for the words that I would have to repeat. I could feel the other two Zanpakutō listening intently as well, curious as to whether I would be able to hear Ryūjin Jakka or not. My inner voice was quiet; curling up on itself as if it were trying not to be noticed.

There was a pause as Yamamoto spoke to Ryūjin Jakka (even though I couldn't hear his part of the exchange I knew he was talking) and then the strongest of all fire Zanpakutō spoke.

_"Senbonzakura, Zabimaru, please tell Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai the phrase that I am about to speak. Ryoka; if you can hear what I am saying then please repeat this aloud: 'I am half the sword that I could be but twice the sword that I should be.'_

I waited for a moment as Renji's and Byakuya's Zanpakutō repeated the phrase to their wielders. Renji gave a small nod; Byakuya simply closed his eyes and waited.

Taking a deep breath I said, "Ryūjin Jakka asked me to repeat the phrase: I am half the sword that I could be but twice the sword that I should be." As I spoke I saw Yamamtoto's eyes widen and the tapping of his fingers on the cane become more insistent. Renji gasped slightly. Byakuya inclined his head to the side.

After a moment the Head Captain spoke again. "That is correct. It seems that you really can speak to the Zanpakutō, out loud that is. I wonder…Ryoka, can you speak to the Zanpakutō as they speak to us?" he asked. I frowned slightly and quickly addressed my inner voice.

_Well, can I?_

_Why don't you try and find out? _it replied, laughing slightly. I huffed silently and answered Yamamoto.

"I don't know, Head Captain, but I can try if you want me to?"

"That would be most helpful." I nodded.

_Alright then, let's see if this works. It's probably just like speaking to my inner voice after all. _I took a deep breath and then spoke out cautiously with my mind to the Zanpakutō that I figured I knew the best. _"Yo, Zabimaru, can you hear me?"_

There was a pause, and then, _"AHHH! H-how, w-!"_

_"Yes, I can hear you," _the female voice stated calmly over the stammering's of the male voice. She then proceeded to relay this information to the other three swords, who in turn relayed it to their wielders. I was still stood there, stunned at this latest discovery and feeling smugness emanating from my inner voice when the Head Captain spoke. "Interesting," he murmured to himself.

Renji muttered under his breath, "Interesting? More like just plain weird." I elbowed him, earning myself a glare from my favorite red-head.

Yamamoto ignored this little exchange and instead turned to the guards in the room with us. "If any of you speak of this to anyone, I will have you exiled and your powers sealed. Do you understand?" His tone was calm as he spoke, but there was a threatening undercurrent to it that made me shiver. My inner voice breathed a sigh of relief. _It seems as though I won't have to do anything to protect you right at this moment, _it commented. I was about to reply when Yamamoto spoke again. "It says in the reports that you were able to out Shunpo Lieutenant Hisagi, and even hold your own against Lieutenant Abarai. Is this true, Ryoka?"

"Yes, Head Captain."

"Show me," he commanded, gesturing to one of the guards, who had an odd looking key in hand.

Byakuya opened his eyes and watched me with the usual blank expression. _Man, he really needs to lighten up._

The fair haired guard stepped forward, but when he reached me his hands began to shake as he looked at me with wide, frightened eyes. I stared back at him, curious as to what was _so _scary about me. Renji noticed this and, with a sigh, he took the key from the trembling guard with an exasperated, "Give it here," and gestured for me to give him my cuffed hands.

Raising them up, I fought to keep from flushing as his fingers accidentally grazed the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist. My inner voice seemed to press it's lips together in a disapproving frown, but I ignored it.

There was a small click and the cuffs around my wrist fell into the red-heads hands. I smiled up at him and murmured, "Thank you." Renji dipped his head, smiling in return.

_Ugh, just get on with it, _my inner voice groaned as I did a mental jig.

_Alright, give me a moment, _I replied.

I felt my Spiritual Pressure flare out; I hadn't liked being cuffed, and my Spiritual Pressure showed it.

Rubbing my sore wrists (those cuffs had been quite tight ya know) and stretching until my back popped pleasurably, I gave Yamamoto a quick grin before leaping into Flash Step. I bounced off the wall, the floor and the ceiling like a rubber ball on steroids; even off of one of the guards who fell over with fright. I felt as though I was flying I was going so fast; barely stepping out of Flash Step. I laughed, flipping through the air. I really shouldn't have been enjoying myself as much as I was, but hey, if this was the last thing that I did then I wanted to have some fun.

As I Shunpoed around I noticed Renji half shading his eyes as he watched me, and Byakuya standing still apart from his eyes, which followed me everywhere. Without any encouragement from my inner voice, although it seemed to be rubbing it's hands together, I decided to play a trick on them. I would never normally be like this, but being in the world Bleach had made me a bit more live-life-on-the-edge. Or suicidal, take your pick.

Coiling against the top of the right hand wall and coming out of Flash Step momentarily, I then pushed off with all my might and launched into Flash Step again. But this time I was aimed right at Renji. Before he could so much as blink I landed in front of him and grabbed his bandanna and yanked it from his head.

"Hey!" he yelled, grabbing at me, but I was already Shunpoing off again. I landed on one of the pillars that stood before the balcony. _I don't know if this next part will work, _I thought as I aimed myself at Byakuya, who was watching me with what seemed to be slight annoyance; _but if you never try you'll never know, right?_

_True, _my inner voice grinned. I smiled back and launched myself into Flash Step once more, willing myself to be as fast as when I had stopped Byakuya's Senka. And, strangely, it seemed to work. In the blink of an eye I appeared behind the tall Captain, still in midair so that I would be able to do what I needed. I was momentarily disoriented as I had Flash Stepped so fast, but after a second I realized where I was.

The grey eyed Captain was beginning to turn, his Senbonzakura and finely honed senses warning him where I was, but it didn't matter as I was still, surprisingly, too fast for him. Holding the tied up bandanna between both of my hands I pulled it down onto Byakuya's head and then yanked it over his eyes.

I landed lightly, but before the now blinded Captain could do anything I Flash Stepped around him and over to the opposite side of the room to see my handy work. It was one of the most amusing sights I had ever seen. Renji was stood there, the tattoos on his forehead now revealed, with his mouth agape and his eyes fixed on Byakuya. His expression was one of complete and utter horror, but I swear I could see the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

Byakuya stood there for a moment, his hair pieces all askew like his hair and the bandanna covering half of his face, before he reached up with his long hands and carefully removed the maroon headscarf. Without looking at his Lieutenant he gave it back to Renji, who flushed slightly.

Though he appeared calm when he looked at me, having somehow retaing his blank mask, I sensed his Spiritual Pressure flare angrily for a moment before he managed to suppress his apparent rage. I felt my smile grow wider. _Hahahaha! That was brilliant fun! _I thought as I Flash Stepped back to how I had been standing between the two Shinigami.

_It was, wasn't it, _my inner voice grinned widely, the complete opposite of Byakuya, who had turned slightly and was glaring down at me in a way only he could. His hair was still messed up. I fought not to laugh, despite the fact that I was not a little terrified of that look and turned to Renji, who was busy retying his bandanna with a red face. The look on his face said that he would get me back someday, a scary yet somehow fun prospect. 

"It seems that you are indeed capable of Shunpo with a high degree of skill," Yamamoto said. Ryūjin Jakka was laughing unashamedly, and Senbonzakura was almost incandescent with rage. "This, and the fact that you can hear and speak to our Zanpakutō, a feat that no Soul Reaper in the history of the Soul Society has ever been able to do, has allowed me to come to a decision."

I felt my heart rate go up a notch. My inner voice listened intently as well, seeming to swell with apprehension. Renji finished tying his bandanna and glanced at me, still slightly red in the face. His Spiritual Pressure had an annoyed, embarrassed tone to it; much like Byakuya's, which kept flaring with irritation as he smoothed his hair back into place.

"Because of the fact that you have strong Spiritual Pressure, and because I wish to keep an eye on you until we know more about exactly how you came to be here, I am going to enroll you into the Shin'ō Academy."

"Head Captain, if I may?" asked Byakuya, who had finally sorted his hair out.

"Go ahead."

"Would enrolling this…Ryoka-!"

"I have a name ya know," I interrupted, only to find myself on the receiving end of another of Byakuya's death glares. "I'll be quiet," I said, ducking my head and grimacing sheepishly.

"As I was saying; would enrolling this Ryoka into the Academy not be like teaching our enemy how to defeat us from within?" _Noooo, don't be like that! I'm not that dangerous! _I cried inwardly, pouting. The Head Captain, however, wasn't deterred. He walked over to his desk, placed his cane/Zanpakutō against its side and began writing with a brush pen. As he did so he spoke once more.

"I do not believe, Captain Kuchiki, that this child is of any major threat to us. The best she could do is cause a minor disturbance that could be dealt with easily. Also, anyone with power strong enough to hold off a Lieutenant and a Captain, for however short an amount of time, is an asset to the Soul Society."

Byakuya gave a small sigh and closed his eyes once more. He didn't seem too happy about it, but he did nothing more. I breathed again.

"Captain Kuchiki, I wish you and Lieutenant Abarai to escort this child over to the Academy and give this," here the Head Captain finished writing on the sheet of paper and deftly folded it before passing it to Byakuya, "to Gengorō Ōnabara."

"Very well," Byakuya replied, taking the piece of paper and tucking it inside his haori. He then turned and began to walk out of the room, with me and Renji following behind. As the door was opened for us Yamamoto called out to me. "You will not be required to take the full entrance exam, but you will need to show the head of the first year that you have Spiritual Pressure, and that you have some control over it," he said. I sighed with relief and nodded before we left. I hadn't been looking forward to the entrance exam, as nowhere in the anime or manga of Bleach had it been fully explained.

_What a strange turn my life has taken. Just a few days ago all I was worried about was what Yu would do next, but now I'm in my favorite place of all time, walking next to two of my favorite characters and about to enter a school for Soul Reapers. Should be fun!_

* * *

**Me: I know, I know, its a short chapter. Don't worry though, as I will most definitley try and update again next week.**

**Renji: Of _course _you will.**

**Me: Shadup you! I'll glomp you to death if you don't!**

**Renji: *waves hands in front of himself in a scared manner* n-no need for that!**

**Me: XD**


	10. Glomp Time!

**Me: As promised, here is another chapter. It's quite short, but we do meet another two of my favourite characters**,** who we have already met but are too awesome not to have more mentions.**

**Renji: Oh, so you have other favourite characters that are your favourites beside me, do you? *starts to become grumpy***

**Me: Yes, but not as favourite as you *huggles Renji massivley***

**Renji: Thats alright then :)**

**Me: Good :) Well, here is the mandatory disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters, just my OC's.**

**Renji: *Still being huggled* Now, on with the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 10: Glomp Time!

As I stepped out of the room something strange happened. The door had just closed behind me when I felt an ominous…_something _swell up into the corridor from beneath the floor. I froze, a shiver running its fingers down my spine. I would have stood there forever, paralyzed by the feeling of shadowy dread snaking its way into my chest, but at that moment Renji whirled and grabbed my wrist, shaking me out of my trance. Byakuya paused to look back for a moment before continuing down the corridor.

"What the hell was that for!?" Renji yelled, gesturing towards the door we had just come through. As soon as he spoke the shadowy _thing _disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving me to gather my scattered wits. When I had, I bit my lip sheepishly. _Ahh, I've managed to annoy him again. It was to be expected though, _I thought, unable to keep eye contact with Renji's furious reddish-brown eyes.

"I was just having a bit of fun. And the Head Captain _did _ask me to show him my Shunpo," I replied, cupping the back of my neck. A vein began to twitch in his forehead.

"Having. A. Bit. Of. Fun?" he repeated through gritted teeth, grabbing the front of my robe and hauling me close, much like I had done earlier. He glared down at me, but I swear the angry lines of his tattooed eyebrows softened slightly as I watched. I nodded, and then did my best attempt at puppy eyes. He stared back at me for a moment before letting go of my robe, making a disgusted noise, turning and walking away. I grinned, along with my inner voice, and trotted to catch up with him. As I passed him I said with a cheeky grin, "And besides, your Captain _really _needs to lighten up," before Flash Stepping away from him and to Byakuya's side.

The Captain spared me a glance before turning away again, not looking around as Renji Flash Stepped to my other side. I could sense my favorite red-heads  
annoyance with me, but it seemed to have been dampened slightly by my cutesy wootsey expression. I smiled. _That's one thing that never fails me. Hey, voice thing, d'you know what that _thing _was just now that paralyzed me?_

_No idea, _it replied with a little too much haste, before withdrawing and leaving me to ponder why it had sounded so…relieved.

As we stepped out into the late afternoon sun and made our way towards the Shinigami Academy I swung my hands backwards and forwards. I had been allowed to walk freely without the cuffs, as I was no longer considered a threat. I gazed around in undisguised awe at the place. It really was amazing that I was actually here, and I was determined to enjoy every moment of it.

I caught Renji rolling his eyes at me a couple of times, but just ignored him.

A few Shinigami greeted the Captain and Lieutenant as we passed, sparing me an odd look. I knew I must look quite out of place; what with me being only 5'4 and standing between two of the taller Shinigami, but I was perfectly happy where I was, not least because they were two of my top favorite characters.

_You may want to start practicing controlling your Spiritual Pressure, _My inner voice suggested, interrupting my thoughts as it came out of hiding. I grumbled a bit, but when my inner voice pointed out that I would not be getting into the Shinigami Academy without that control, I conceded and began to try and make my Spiritual Pressure grow smaller at will.

A few minutes later and I had just about mastered the art of Spiritual Pressure control. It was remarkably easy once my inner voice had told me about the fundamentals of it, and by the time the Shinigami Academy had come into view on the horizon I could completely conceal it. I felt Renji glancing over at me with interest, and heard Zabimaru commenting on my control skills (then proceeding to mock Renji about how long he had taken to master controlling his Spiritual Pressure).

As we drew closer to the Academy I felt two familiar Spiritual Pressures appear in my senses. I felt my excitement grow. _Oooh, I can't wait to see those two again, _I said to my inner voice, who rolled it's eyes.

_Just don't do anything stupid, _it said.

Renji, who had dropped back slightly with me when I had started to feel a bit uncomfortable next to the ever silent Byakuya, noticed that I had perked up slightly and asked, "What is it?"

I looked over at him, unable to keep a happy smile from turning my lips upwards. "Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto are up ahead," I replied, barley stopping myself from bouncing around excitedly. Renji closed his eyes for a moment, concentrated, and then opened them again with a nod and a grin.

"I'm surprised you sensed them from this far away."

"Well, it's not that hard if you have half decent Spirit Sense," I replied with a mischievous grin. It took a moment, but Renji finally realised what I was implying. A tick formed on his forehead and he reached over and flicked me just above the nose. I yelped and clapped my hands over the spot, glaring at him.

"Don't push your luck any further Shorty," he said, turning and continuing on behind his Captain, who had chosen to ignore this exchange. I grumbled at him and, still clutching my throbbing forehead, caught up with the annoying yet adorable red-head. I opened my mouth to tell him to quit calling me Shorty when another familiar voice called, "Captain Kuchiki, Lieutenant Abarai." It was Hitsugaya, his white hair stark against the blue of the sky, closely followed by the busty Rangiku. When she noticed me she gave an exclamation of delight and bounced over to me, enveloping me in a hug that crushed me between her boobs.

"Can't…breathe!" I said in a smothered voice, my arms flailing around as I tried to extract myself from her unintentionally suffocating hug. Rangiku immediately let go, but the sunny smile was still on her lips. She ignored the annoyed look her small Captain was giving her and said happily, "You got out!"

"Yeah," I replied, smiling back. Her happiness was infectious, and my inner voice seemed to like her just as much as I did. "Head Captain Yamamoto decided to put me into the Academy."

Rangiku looked slightly surprised at this, but quickly recovered her smile. "Well, I hope you do well!" she said, turning her light blue eyes to Renji and raising an eyebrow. I saw him shrug.

_ Her Captain doesn't seem to be accepting this as easily as his Lieutenant, _my inner voice commented in its smooth, masculine voice. I glanced over at Tōshirō. He was staring at me with slight apprehension in his turquoise eyes. Once he noticed my gaze he turned to Captain Kuchiki. _Aww, he's so adorable I just want to glomp him! _I thought, fighting to keep from doing that. My inner voice huffed in annoyance. _Please don't. _

"Is this true?" he asked in his soft voice. As Byakuya replied with an inclination of his head and the small Captain turned to look at me once more I had to fight even harder not to launch myself at him. _Gah, I'm going to regret it if I do. Then again, I'll regret it if I don't._

With a small sigh that cooled the air in front of him, Hitsugaya started to turn, calling over his shoulder, "Very well. Rangiku!"

Seeing him about to walk away and knowing that this was probably my only chance was what probably made my mind up for me. With a cry of "KYAHHH, you're SO ADORABLE!" I launched myself across the space that separated us and glomped the startled Captain. _Now you've gone and done it, _my inner voice rolled it's eyes. I grinned and, not to add insult to injury or anything but because I just couldn't help it, ruffled the small Captain's snowy white hair.

For a moment there was a stunned silence as I hugged Tōshirō to my chest, and then: "GET OFF!" he yelled, extricating himself from my rough embrace and staring at me with an expression that was part annoyance, part confusion and part horror. A sweat drop that I had only ever seen in anime before appeared on his forehead. I bit my lip and stepped back, feeling my face heat up. "I'm so sorry," I said quietly, biting my lip harder to stop myself from laughing as I straightened my white robe. I was embarrassed beyond belief that I had allowed myself to do that, but when else was I going to get another chance like that?

I heard a stifled laugh behind me and turned to see Rangiku holding a hand over her mouth. Renji stood beside her, eyebrow raised and a half grin tilting his lips. I walked quickly to the Lieutenant's side and half hid behind him, afraid of what the Captain would do. I needn't have worried, however. Hitsugaya stared at me for a moment, his cheeks staining red, before turning and walking past Byakuya who for his part didn't seem to care that I had just practically strangled a fellow Captain. Rangiku twirled her pink scarf around her finger and was about to speak when her Captain yelled "RANGIKU!" his voice holding a slightly embarrassed note. I grinned.

She called in her light voice, "Coming Captain!" before turning to me and saying, "Well, I'll see you around!" She then followed her Captain, her hips swaying and drawing the eyes of many of the male Shinigami passing by. Surprisingly, Renji wasn't one of them. He just stared at me with a bemused smile before snorting quietly and starting off after Byakuya, who had walked on ahead.

I jogged to his side with a smile, my bare feet making no noise as I moved.

We carried on in silence until we came to the front of the Academy. It was impressive to say the least, with students streaming in and out of the wide gates. A lot of them turned to stare in awe as we made our way under the gold topped archway entrance; they had probably never seen a Captain and Lieutenant this close before. I felt the smile flee my lips as I shrank under the weight of the stares I was getting; I really hated being the center of attention. I sidled closer to Renji, who rolled his eyes.

"Just ignore them," he murmured, surprising me by placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at him, but he had already removed his hand and looked away. I nodded to him even though he wasn't looking and tilted my chin up, a small smile returning to my lips.

_ Talk about a baptism of fire, _I commented as we made our way into the large Academy. The hallway was almost as crowded as outside, but everyone made way as the whisper that Captain Kuchiki, his Lieutenant and a strange girl were walking through ran like a river over a school of fish.

_Mph, _my inner voice replied, yawning slightly. _All these people make me tired._

_Me too, _I replied as I stuck close to Renji's side. _Me too._

* * *

**Me: Ok, so I probably won't be updating for a while after this as I have important exams (mainly art) coming up soon.**

**Renji: And then she has to start revising for everything else, sadly.**

**Me: Yeah. It's hard being me at the moment. But I shall survive, just for all you loyal fans of this story out there XD**


	11. Promise Made

**Me: So, as the art exam is over, and the holidays are finally here (YAY!) I will be updating next weekend :D**

**Renji: Fiiiiinnnnaaaaallllly! *stands and stretches* I've been waiting for a long time for this update**

**Me: Yeah, sorry 'bout that. I did have a good reason this time though!**

**Renji: I suppose...*sigh* fine, I forgive you. Devicorn does not own any of Bleach or the characters-as much as she would like to *winks*-only her Oc's**

**Me: Thank you Renji! Now, on with the chapter! XD**

* * *

Chapter 11: Promise Made...

I fidgeted with the white belt of my robe as Gengorō Ōnabara answered Byakuya's curt knock of the wooden door. He was a fairly tall, fairly wide man with spectacles resting upon his nose. He spared me a glance, Renji a nod and a smile and then turned to Byakuya, who produced the letter Yamamoto had written from his haori. Gengorō scanned the neat handwriting before gesturing for Byakuya to follow him inside. When I made to follow Renji pulled me back, shaking his head and saying, "You'll be called in when he wants to speak to you."

I frowned slightly before turning and leaning against the wall on one side of the door. I slid down to the floor and folded my legs under me, resting my head against the wall. I could tell it would be a while before Gengorō would want to talk to me.

Renji took up residence on the other side of the door, folding his arms and placing one foot against the wall. The hum of voices from the main corridors drifted down to us, interspersed with the occasional far of BOOM from what I presumed to be the Kido practice grounds. After a moment more in which we sat in a now comfortable near silence, Renji spoke up, a laugh in his voice.

"Why did you try to strangle Captain Hitsugaya back there?"

I felt my cheeks flame slightly. "It wasn't strangling him. It's called 'glomping.'"

"Glom…ping?" Renji repeated, sounding out the strange word the way a child would, a ponderous look upon his pointed features.

"Yup. You remember that I'm from a completely different world, and you guys exist there only in anime and manga form?"

"Yeah."

"Well, in my world, people have favorite characters from your program-and other programs besides, but I won't go into detail about those-and some of the people who are _major _fans-like, if-I met-them-in-real-life-I-would-kidnap-them-and-keep-them-to-myself-fans," my inner voice spoke up at this point, saying, _And you're not one of those, _are you _Taiyesha?_ I ignored it, and continued, "Mainly fangirls-!" but was interrupted yet again, this time by Renji.

"Fangirls?" He got a wicked look on his face as he said this. He knew exactly what _that _word meant. Typical. "Do I have fangirls?"

My cheeks flamed again as I replied, "Yes, you do."

"Are you one of those fangirls?" _The nerve! _I thought as he asked that question, unable to keep my blush from darkening. I was pretty sure I looked like a tomato right now.

I didn't answer his question, instead continuing with my now twice interrupted speech. My inner voice was laughing raucously.

"Mainly fangirls, would, if they saw their favorite character in real life, run over and violently hug that character. _That _is what glomping is."

Renji was still giving me that wicked look of his, but didn't ask his previous question again. I really hoped he couldn't tell the answer from my cherry red face.

"So, Hitsugaya is one of your favorite characters from this…program of yours then?"

I brushed my blue fringe from my eyes and nodded.

"Why. And why did you violently hug him then?"

"Because he's adorable!" I cried indignantly, drawing a chuckle from the tall red head. "And, to answer your other question, because I wouldn't have an opportunity like that again." He closed his eyes and asked,

"D'you have any _other _favorite characters that you would…glomp?"

"Yeass. The other ones are Byakuya-"

"You would do that to my _Captain!" _Renji sputtered in disbelief. I laughed and said, "Hell yeah! He's so awesome, despite his I've-got-a-stick-up-my-ass attitude. Lots of people would; probably more than would glomp you," I couldn't resist adding, even if it may not have been true. It had the desired effect of making Renji frown and grumble to himself.

I continued. "I would also glomp Kenpachi-!

"YOU WHAT!? Renji exploded, causing the murmuring voices of Byakuya and Gengorō to fall silent. He glanced at the closed door before turning back to me, his face awash with incredulity. "Why would you do that to Kenpachi!? He would kill you!"

"Aww, are you worried for me Pineapple?" I laughed. Renji just continued to stare at me, his jaw still practically on the floor. Shaking my head, I tried to explain.

"I would glomp Kenpachi because he's just….I don't know how to explain it, so for now let's just say that his craziness is what makes me want to hug him. Besides, he wouldn't kill me. I'm too fast for him."

Renji sweat dropped. "You're insane," he muttered, shaking his head. "You really are insane."

"Nah."

_Oh, really? _my inner voice said sarcastically. _I seem to recall that _you _were the one who decided to throw that bottle at Renji here._

"Actually, yeah, you may be slightly right about that." I corrected, agreeing with my inner voice. "But hey, if this is what being insane gets me, then I rather like it," I continued with a wide grin.

"Whatever. Just don't go jumping on Kenpachi, else he'll most likely take it as an invitation to start a fight with you," Renji said, leaning his head against the wall and eyeing me. "Carry on with your…list then Shorty." 

"I'm not short," I grumbled before returning to my 'list' as Renji called it. "Anywho, the other people I want to glomp are Yachiru, Kisuke, Ichigo, you, Isshi-

"You would glomp me!?" Renji asked, his voice full of surprise tinted with an edge of smugness. I started, and then began blushing as I realised what I had said. My inner voice was laughing evilly, so I squashed it angrily.

"No…." I muttered, rubbing my arm.

"And yet you just said you would." The edge of self-satisfaction grew with every word.

"No I didn't."

"Yeap, you did."

"No."

"Yeeap."

"So what if I did!" My inner voice answered before I could re-squash it. Renji's eyes lit up at this admission, his slow smile causing me to blush even harder.

"Weeeell, since you want to glomp me, does that mean you're a…fangirl of mine?" Renji asked, leaning towards me slightly. Even though the space where the door was indented into the wall separated us, this caused me to flush once more and begin twiddling the threads of my white robe between my fingers in embarrassment.

"…..Maybe," I admitted, this time without the aid of my inner voice. This surprised it somewhat, but I figured that Renji would guess the answer soon enough from how red my face had become. It was almost as red as his hair.

His grin became Cheshire-cat like. "Ha, I knew it!" he laughed triumphantly. He went back to his previous position against the wall, but kept his eyes and smug smile trained on me. After another few beats of silence he spoke again, this time in a softer voice.

"So, if you want to glomp me and Byakuya, why haven't you yet?"

I smiled to myself, glad for the slight change in subject that allowed my face to cool down a bit. "Well, I haven't glomped Byakuya because a) he was trying to kill me and b) He's the kinda guy who I just…couldn't glomp without getting to know him, and without getting into his good books, a bit more that I already have." Renji snorted, as did Zabimaru.

"And I haven't glomped you because you were trying to kill me." Renji frowned slightly at this, before looking away and smiling again.

"Well I'm not trying to kill you now," he said in an offhand tone, but his expression told me that I was not mistaken for hearing the invitation in his voice. I flushed slightly again, but managed to look over at Renji without looking away after a moment.

"Hmmm. I _could _glomp you now…but I'm not going to. Oh, don't worry, I will glomp you at some stage," I continued as Renji's face fell slightly; "just not now. It'll be far more fun if I catch you unawares than if you knew when I was going to do it." At this last part Renji grinned back at me. It was then that I realised that, in the small space of time from when he had arrived at my cell to now, he had decided to become my friend. This thought caused a pleasant feeling of euphoria to sweep through me. My inner voice rolled its eyes, but said nothing.

* * *

**Me: It's a short chapter, I know, but I _will _update next week, I promise!**

**Renji: Yeah yeah, I'll believe it when I see it...**


	12. My World And Yours

**Me: See Renji, I told you I'd update this week, and I have, so nye *pulls a Shinji face at him***

**Renji: You said you would update "next weekend" if I can remember correctly, but today is the Tuesday _after _the weekend you said you'd update**

**Me: Details, details. Now, d'you want the chapter or not?**

**Renji: I don't care either way, but I'm sure everyone who's been reviewing your story does *points over at Rainbowrunner01, who has been reviewing Devicorn's every chapter, along with the other people who have just started reviewing***

**Me: They do. Now, after the disclaimer-I don't own Bleach or any of the characters from it, just my OC's and anything that happens to them-I will allow my faithful readers to read the chapter XD**

* * *

Chapter 12: My World And Yours

A while later found us both sat against the same wall and talking quietly, our shoulders almost touching. When Renji had finally slumped to the floor in boredom, I had immediately been seized by the urge to go and sit over by him. But, me being very indecisive and shy, I had sat around for another ten minutes just debating if I should or not. When I had decided that I should, I then spent another five trying to work up the courage to actually stand, walk over and sit down next to my favourite character.

As I had sat there deliberating, the door had opened and a Hell Butterfly had flown out. I watched its lazy flight as it passed, my pondering forgotten for a moment as I saw yet another part of my favourite world. When it had disappeared from sight I looked at Renji, who shrugged slightly. I went back to my deliberating again.

Eventually my inner voice, the laughter at the edges of it's voice becoming more pronounced, said, _Oh come on, really? You can mess up the hair of one of the most powerful Captains of the Gotei 13, and yet you're scared to go and sit down next to a guy you like. Wuss._ And with that it hauled me up before giving my body back to myself.

Renji looked up at me as I stood there, one eyebrow slightly raised. I took a small breath, squashing my inner voice and ignoring its muffled complaints, before walking over and folding myself down next to Renji. The red head looked sideways down at me before turning away, smiling.

_See, that wasn't so hard, was it? _My inner voice said, still being squashed by me. It felt kind of funny, like the goo you got when you mixed cornstarch and water. I grunted at it, but loosened my hold on it nonetheless.

After a moment, Renji looked down at me and asked, "So, is your world any different to the World of the Living we have here?"

I thought for a moment, resting my head back against the wall. "I don't think so, apart from the fact that your World of the Living has Pluses, Hollows and Shinigami roaming around it and ours doesn't, at least not that I know of anyway." Renji nodded thoughtfully, reaching up to adjust his bandanna slightly before asking another question. "How old are you?"

I turned to stare at him. "What? I can't tell just by looking at you since your short," Renji said, giving me a mischievous half smile. I huffed and punched his shoulder.

"I am _not _short! And you shouldn't just go around asking people how old they are, it's rude!" Renji simply shrugged and sat there, waiting for an answer. Muttering to myself about the bluntness of some people, I finally answered.

"I'm sixteen and a half. Happy now?" Renji grinned and opened his mouth, looking as though he was about to make some comment on how I didn't look almost seventeen, but before he could I growled, "And don't even think of saying how I don't look my age, or I will do more than just punch you."

Renji closed his mouth, but the smile didn't leave as he stretched out one of his long legs and rested an arm over the other, still curled up one. Zabimaru then spoke up with a question of its own. _Ryoka-_

_Please, call me Taiyesha, _I said, cutting the Zanpakutō of. It paused for a moment before continuing. I could feel its surprise from earlier still lingering.

_Fine. Taiyesha, you said that your World of the Living is quite like ours, correct? _This was the more serious female side of Zabimaru talking.

_Yeah, why?_

_Do they have Zanpakutō there?_

I hesitated slightly before answering. _Well, they do have swords in my world, but none have personalities or can talk to their wielders or anything like that. So, to cut a long answer short, no, they don't have Zanpakutō in my world. _Zabimaru seemed disturbed by this; the male half even more so than the female. It withdrew somewhat to consider what I had said.

Glancing over at Renji, I saw him open his eyes. He had been listening to the conversation-well, half of it anyway.

I decided that, since he had asked me about my age, I would ask him about his. This was one of the greater mysteries in the Bleach community: what ages were all the Shinigami? We knew roughly how old Yamamoto was (about 2,100 years old, give or take a century) and Retsu Unohana as well (about 200 years old), but the rest were a mystery, thanks to Bleach's troll of an author; Tite Kubo.

My inner voice didn't seem that curious about this. In fact, it almost seemed as though it already knew the answer. Frowning slightly at this, I spoke up and asked the question that had been bugging me ever since I had first seen the handsome red-head.

"Renji?

"Mmm?"

"Since you asked me, I'm going to ask the same question of you. How old are you exactly?" Renji looked down at me, frowning slightly.

"I thought you knew everything about us thanks to that program?" he asked, a hint of amusement tinging his voice.

"Not everything, just the things I was told about. Which is almost everything now that I think about it," I replied, grinning. Renji tilted his head back, smiling as well. He was silent for a moment before answering my question with one of his own.

"Depends what you mean. In Shinigami or human terms?"

"Both," I answered instantly. I had heard about there being two different types of ages for Shinigami, much like there was for dogs or cats. Renji nodded slightly before answering. "In terms of Human years, I'm nearly 20. In terms of Shinigami years, however, I'm about 149."

"Hah, I _told _Kate I was right!" I cried triumphantly, startling Renji with my victorious fist pump.

"Wha' d'you mean?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I had a little bet going on with one of my friends and fellow Bleach addicts. She said that you were 20 in both Human _and _Shinigami years, but I told her that, no, you were about 20ish in Human years, but about 140-150 in Shinigami years. And I was right!" I grinned happily.

"What did you bet?" Renji questioned, his lips tilting upwards.

"Oh, only a couple of quid, but I'll make her…pay…up," I said, my voice trailing off as I realised that I couldn't make her pay. Because I was here. Stuck in the world that we both loved so much. Moisture began to gather in my eyes. I never thought that being here would make me sad, but here I was, sat next to my absolute favourite character, about to cry because of a stupid bet. It was then that I realised that I might actually miss my world more than I had thought. I felt my lip begin to tremble, and even my inner voice couldn't stop it.

The tears in my eyes were about to spill over when I suddenly felt a hand rest on my left knee. Turning my tearful gaze downwards, I found Renji's hand resting lightly on my bent leg, his long fingers completely covering my knee. I looked up at him and found myself staring into his solemn reddish brown eyes, over which his tattooed eyebrows were drawn together. My breath caught in my throat.

"Don't worry," he murmured in a soft voice, his lips lifting slightly in a smile; "we'll find a way to get you back to your world. I can ask Captain Kurotsuchi to look into it, if you want?"

I was silent for a moment, my brain-scrambled because of the contact-struggling to think up a response. Finally, after giving up trying to speak, I simply nodded, sucking in a slightly shaking breath and trying to smile. Renji nodded back and squeezed my knee gently, sending pleasant shivers down my spine.

"I'll see what I can do," he said with a smile, lifting his hand and letting it rest by his side.

_He may not be so bad after all, _my inner voice murmured quietly, sounding preoccupied. I smiled softly, the moisture in my eyes gradually drying up.

_I told you._

_Mmm._

* * *

We sat there for a few minutes more, neither of us talking; simply content to sit and think. When you got over the fact that pretty much everyone here could kill you, it was actually quite peaceful. So peaceful, in fact, that I drifted into the place between sleep and wakefulness-or the "Nice Place" as I called it. God knew I needed that small rest; I'd met the Captain Commander, annoyed Captain Kuchiki _and _managed to talk to Renji without fluffing it up for chrissakes!

I was brought back to full wakefulness when I sensed a Spiritual Pressure heading our way. Opening my eyes, I turned to look down the corridor. What I saw was, to say the least, pleasant on the eyes.

He was tall and athletically built; the typical Shinigami Academy uniform-blue for boys-looking good on him. A medium sized Zanpakutō hung from a dusky blue strap at his back, a hilt of the same colour poking up over his left shoulder. The guard was shaped like several interlocked music notes that rippled out from the center. It seemed he was one of the very few people who had managed to discover their Zanpakutō whilst still in school. He would go far.

A mop of messy black hair stuck out in various directions from his head, but that didn't detract from his overall good looks. It actually seemed to enhance them. Strands of it hung across his well-balanced face, getting in his bright green eyes that were filled with laughter. He seemed to be a person that would be quick to smile.

This assumption was proved to be true as he walked passed Renji and I, the Hell Butterfly we had seen about ten minutes ago floating lazily in front of him. The mysterious boy, who I was going to guess was a sixth year due to his confidant stride, looked down at me. When he met my eyes a wide grin split his lips and his eyes crinkled slightly around the corners. I couldn't help from smiling back at him, but didn't get that little fluttery feeling in my stomach that I usually experienced when guys like _that _smiled or even looked at me.

His gaze passed over to Renji, who was watching him impassively.

"Lieutenant," the boy said, the smile never leaving his lips or eyes. His voice was gentle and full of warmth and a tinge of admiration. Renji nodded at the boy, whose smile became wider.

As the guy reached the door it opened silently, revealing Byakuya and Gengorō within before it closed just as quietly behind the sixth year. I looked over at Renji and raised an eyebrow questioningly. He shrugged, turning to look at the closed door.

_I wonder why he was summoned, _I thought, puzzled. My inner voice didn't comment. In fact, I could barely sense it at all-it was as if most of it was somewhere else.

Sighing, I leant back against the wall, closing my eyes and trying to drift back to the Nice Place.

That plan, however, was interrupted a couple of minutes later when the door was opened yet again and the sixth year stuck his head around.

"You can come in now," he said, that infectious smile working its way onto his lips again. I smiled back, nodding. Renji yawned loudly, stretched and stood up, adjusting Zabimaru on his left hip. I was also about to stand when he reached out and offered me his hand and a smile to go with it.

Feeling my grin become wider and my face warm slightly, I stretched up and shyly grasped his large hand. With a tightening of his grip Renji easily pulled me to my feet, steadying me when I overbalanced slightly.

"Thanks," I said, sure that my face was bright red again. Renji half smiled as he dropped my hand. Stretching as I walked forward, I tightened the ribbon around my waist before stepping into the room. The sixth year boy stepped aside, opening the door wider to allow myself and Renji through.

* * *

**Me: Another fairly short chapter, but I promise that they get longer after this one!**

**Renji: As long as you keep 'em coming, I don't think the people mind**

**Me: *sits on Renji's shoulders because she's in a random mood* I hope not!**

**Renji: You really are annoying**

**Me: I know XD**


	13. Promise Kept

**Me: ****What is this? _Another _update, right after the one I did yesterday? **

**Renji: *stares down at me in confusion* 'The _Hell _did you eat last night? Was it pure coffee beans or something? 'Cause you _never _update this quick. Ever.**

**Me: Well, today I've been in a writing mood, so I've managed to write two more chapters of the story, and so I've decided to post another chapter up here :D :D :D**

**Renji: ...You have been on coffee haven't you?**

**Me: nopety nopety nope! I had a lemon doughnut yesterday though! *starts bouncing around happily***

**Renji: Ahhh, that'll be why. Don't mind here, she'll calm down in a bit. Devicorn does not own any of Bleach or the characters. She just owns her OC's and the things that happen to them.**

**Me: oooooohhhhhoooooohhhh I'm hyper this is fun lalala XD**

**Renji: *facepalm***

* * *

Chapter 13: Promise Kept

When we had entered the room he closed the door behind us and went to stand next to Gengorō. Byakuya was to the right of me, his grey eyes watching me impassively. Renji had meandered over the wall on the left and was leaning against it, his arms crossed. The sixth year's Zanpakutō was female, and she had the most entrancing voice I had ever hear. It sounded as though she were singing every word.

"So," Gengorō said, drawing my attention to him. "You're the Ryoka that caused all that trouble five days ago?"

"Yes, sir" I replied sheepishly. He nodded, glancing down at the note Yamamoto had written to him before looking back at me through his glasses.

"Well, it seems as though Head Captain Yamamoto doesn't find you too much of a threat, else he wouldn't have asked me to enter you into the Academy," he said with a chuckle before continuing. "Now, it is very lucky that you are being entered today, as the year has only just started, so you haven't missed much."

"That's good," I smiled. I had been nervous that I would have missed a lot, and would have had to spend any free time catching up, so finding that I wouldn't have to was a relief. The sixth year also smiled at me.

Gengorō's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled back at me. "It certainly is. Now, you don't have to pass the entrance exam to get in, but you _do _need to demonstrate to me that you have some control over your Spiritual Pressure which, I must say, is quite impressive." I grinned at this last comment.

"What would you have me do?" I asked, twining my hands behind my back and rocking slightly on my heels. The head of Class 1 (the accelerated class) thought for a moment before saying, "There are three things I want you to do. Each will be harder than the last." When I nodded to show that I understood, he continued.

"First, if you can, lower your Spiritual Pressure my level"-here he lowered his Spiritual Pressure to about half of what it had been- "and hold it there for as long as you can."

_This should be no problem, _I thought smugly, doing as I was asked. My inner voice still seemed to be preoccupied by something, but I didn't need its help. As I held my Spiritual Pressure at the same level as Gengorō's, I let my eyes wander around the room. It was neat; the papers were all organized on the wooden desk, and books were stacked in what I presumed was order of importance along a bookshelf. A small door that I probably led to a cupboard of some sort was behind Gengorō. Renji looked like he was half asleep, but when I looked over at him he opened one eye and gave me a lazy smile.

"I think we should stop with this first test, as it seems we would be here for a _very _long time waiting for your control to fail," Gengorō stated with a wry smile. I replied in kind, allowing my Spiritual Pressure to go back to its normal level.

"Next, I want you to fluctuate your Spiritual Pressure, but in a controlled manner. Allow it to rise and fall with your heartbeat."

"Ok," I smiled, before beginning. I stuttered slightly at first as I tried to get into rhythm with my heart, but once I had it was pretty much child's play to keep it rising and falling. I looked over at Byakuya and the sixth year; Byakuya was watching me with his usual impassiveness, though I could have sworn there was a flicker of interest in his grey eyes. The sixth year, whose name I had found out was Takuma Hayakawa from his Zanpakutō berating him for something, was also watching me, but he had a calculating look on his face, and his eyes were full of curiosity.

"Again, I think we would be here for a while before your control even slightly faltered. You may stop," Gengorō said, steepling his hands before his round face. I allowed my Spiritual Pressure to go back to normal once more, trying to stop from smiling at how well I was doing.

"For your last test, I want you to try and completely conceal your Spiritual Pressure. Don't be dishearte-" but that was as far as he got through the sentence, because I had already made my Spiritual Pressure completely disappear with little effort. Gengorō's mouth dropped open; he looked both surprised and impressed. I couldn't help give a smug smile. I heard a low whistle from the sixth year, which only made me smile wider.

Glancing over at Renji, I could see he was grinning as well. Zabimaru then spoke up. _Renji says well done, _the childish male voice said, seemingly over its shock at my being able speaking to it.

_Tell him I said thanks, _I replied, beaming inside. Renji nodded imperceptibly when he got the message.

"My my, it seems you did that with ease! Very impressive indeed," Gengorō exclaimed delight written across his features. After a moment more his expression changed to one of pondering. His eyebrows drew together and he murmured, "I wonder…" before seeming to come to a decision.

"Young lady, I have two more tests, as it is obvious that you are rather gifted. Do not worry if you cannot do the last one; it is a test that many third years struggle to do on their first try. Now, for this fourth test, I want you to create a ball of Reishi in your hand."

At this, I blanched. I had seen this done before-in the episode where Renji revisits his childhood-but didn't know _how _it was done. I bit my lip as Gengorō watched expectantly, knowing I was about to fail. _Damn it!_

_Taiyesha?_

_Huh, wha-oh, Zabimaru. What is it?_

_Renji says that, to create the Reishi ball, you need to concentrate some of your Reiryoku in the palm of your hand. Not too much, as it will explode, but not too little either._

I stood there, trying not to look at my favorite red-head as hope blossomed in my chest. _He also says he knows you can do it, _the female voice added softly, and I felt my hear skip a beat.

_ Alright. Let's try this!_ I thought. Concentrating, I gradually channeled my Reiryoku (different from Spiritual Pressure) towards my hand. At first there was nothing, and a sense of disappointment appeared, but then, after a moment, my palm began to tingle pleasantly and emit a soft glow. A second later there was a soft pop and into existence sprang my own ball of Reishi. It was about the size of a watermelon, and was exactly the same as the ones I had seen Rukia and Renji produce in the flashback episode apart from one thing.

Instead of being blue in colour, it was a bright, flaming orange with little sparks of purple swirling occasionally around it. "Oh wow…" I breathed, elation filling my chest. _Zabimaru, tell Renji I owe him one, _I thought towards the Zanpakutō, who relayed my message to the red-head. He nodded slightly and smiled, though it was a smile tinted with confusion. Probably because of the colour of my Reishi ball. God knew I was confused about it.

Gengorō coughed slightly. "Very good, very good."

I closed my open palm, extinguishing the Reishi ball.

"This final test will be hard, I can guarantee. Even Takuma here could not do this when he stood in your place. He even struggles with it now," he continued, indicating the sixth year, who nodded and brushed a strand of black hair from his emerald eyes.

"If you can, I want you to raise your Spiritual Pressure to its maximum-"

"Wait, so the level my Spiritual Pressure is at now isn't its maximum?" I questioned. I had always believed that a Shinigami's Spiritual Pressure was always at its highest, and that they actually had to lower it to a more acceptable level in order not to knock everyone out simply by being near them. This had always seemed the case with people like the Captains and Ichigo.

"No, the level it is at now is the normal level-the one that it is at when you are not fighting and are in an emotionally neutral state. Your Spiritual Pressure will reach its maximum when you are fighting, or when you are extremely angry, annoyed etc. Of course, the size and, consequently the highest point your Spiritual Pressure can reach, increases with the learning of your Shikai and Bankai, the latter showing your _true _maximum. But since we will not be learning that here, I just wish you to try and reach the maximum of your Spiritual Pressure as it is now."

"Well, I'll try," I replied with a smile, before closing my eyes and concentrating. It felt more natural to do this. _If Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure is just at it's normal level when he's at a school or at home, and yet it's still enough to knock people out, he really is as strong as he looks in the anime. _I shuddered at the thought of getting on his bad side, but the focused on the task ahead once more.

I didn't know how to go about things, and since my inner voice was _still _preoccupied, I would be getting no help from there. So I simply went with my instincts, which were all telling me to simply do the exact opposite of what I did when concealing my Spiritual Pressure. So I did.

It felt strange; as if there was a barrier of some sort pushing back against my Spiritual Pressure. I tried harder, but nothing happened. I was keenly aware that everyone in the room was watching my intently, even Byakuya, though he was trying to conceal it.

I needed a new tact. Taking a breath, I forced myself to relax and ignore the task at hand for the time being. When my breathing was completely even, and my muscles loose, I allowed my Spiritual Pressure to relax as well. I felt it flow out of me in waves, could sense how it stretched out from the bounds of the room and into the building around us.

When I felt my Spiritual Pressure even out, I took one deep breath and forced it upwards, crashing it into the barrier that was oriented somewhere in my mind with all my might. I felt it tremble, but it didn't break._ Alright, again! _I thought, before drawing back my Spiritual Pressure and hurling it at the barrier again.

This time it definitely gave slightly. _Once more! _I cried to myself. Gritting my teeth, I gathered my Spiritual Pressure and threw it at the weakened, intangible barrier in my mind as if it were a spear.

There was a moment where it seemed as though I had failed to get through the barrier, and I felt my heart drop like a stone in a pond, but then, with an almost imperceptible cracking sound, the barrier shattered and dissipated into nothingness.

I sucked in a breath as my Spiritual Pressure shot up, free of the barrier that had been containing it to normal levels. It soared higher and higher; so high that I was left stunned by how strong it felt. _When will I reach my maximum, I wonder? _I thought to myself as my Spiritual Pressure continued to rise unhindered.

I was to get my answer soon enough.

After another moment or two I felt the stupendously fast rise of my Spiritual Pressure begin to slow. A second after that, it came to a stop so sudden that I was surprised I wasn't jolted forwards. I pushed tentatively against this new barrier, but as soon as I touched it I knew two things.

I was not going to breach this barrier-my maximum for now- today.

I would, however, get through it someday.

Smiling, I kept my Spiritual Pressure as it was and opened my eyes. What I saw amazed me.

The air in the room was alive with something akin to white noise; the flickering's in the air and slight howling that always appeared in Bleach when someone was showing their Spiritual Pressure. It wasn't as visible, and the noise wasn't as loud, as when someone like Ichigo, or a Captain, allowed their Spiritual Pressure to rise, but it was still there.

_Whoa, this is soooo cool! _I thought with a grin as I looked around at the varying degrees of astonishment upon everyone's faces. Just as I thought this, my inner voice withdrew from wherever it had been being preoccupied and asked in a slightly weary tone, _What is?_

_Oh, so you're back now are you?_

_Yes, I am. Don't ask where I was, because I will not answer. Now, what did you say is cool…oh, _it ended as it looked around with me and felt the change in my Spiritual Pressure. _And I did this all by myself! _I said proudly. My inner voice nodded, and I swear it smiled slightly.

_ Well done, _it said amusedly. I beamed before returning to looking at everyone's shocked expressions with a smug smile. The sixth year and Gengorō were the most astounded. Takuma actually had his mouth open, and Gengorō's eyebrows were so high that, had he had any hair, they would have disappeared into it.

Byakuya was where he had been, his expressionless mask in place, but he seemed to be leaning forward slightly, a spark of interest vying with surprise in his grey eyes as they watched me intently.

Renji had what I liked to call a "not too bad" face on, and his tattooed eyebrows had disappeared under his bandanna. He nodded slightly when he noticed I was looking over at him, his red hair bobbing. I smiled and turned to Gengorō before allowing my Spiritual Pressure to sink back to normal. When the weird white noise and quiet howling had disappeared he adjusted his glasses and. "Well, it seems that you were able to do it, and on your first try at that! I must say, this is highly unusual, but very helpful indeed when it comes to placing you in your class for the rest of your time here."

I felt my stomach drop when he said "the rest of your time here," as that could only mean one thing. I had just been accepted into the Shinigami Academy!

_Well, it _was _inevitable considering the Head Captain sent you here, _my inner voice stated, but that didn't do anything to dampen my elated mood.

"You are accepting her into the Academy?" Byakuya asked, turning his grey eyes to Gengorō. The shorter man nodded, smiling kindly at me.

"Yes. I believe she will be a very valuable addition." Byakuya nodded slightly before starting towards the door; he had done as asked of him, and now his work was done he was leaving. The thought of him and the Lieutenant leaving, and me probably not seeing them for at least six years, caused my spirits to drop.

"Renji," Byakuya said as he opened the door. The red-head nodded and started forward, but surprised me by stopping by my side for a moment and patting my shoulder before walking away after his Captain. I smiled slightly, glancing over my shoulder as the door closed.

When the Spiritual Pressures of the Captain and Lieutenant had started to fade slightly, Gengorō spoke. "Now, since you are very proficient with your Spiritual Pressure control, and the Head Captain says you are extremely adept at Shunpo, I have decided to place you in the advanced class of this year."

_Score! This is going to be so much fun! _I thought happily. My inner voice grunted but did nothing else-I hadn't noticed it before, but it felt tired as well as sounding tired. _Strange._

Gengorō then pulled open one of the draws in his desk and began rummaging around under all sorts of papers. "Here," he said with a triumphant smile as he pulled out a particular piece of paper, "is your timetable, which you will begin to follow tomorrow, after Takuma here has shown you around and you have settled into your room." He then handed me the timetable. I glanced down and found that it was much like the timetables they had at school. It was one week, with each day separated into five hour long slots. Though that was where the similarities ended.

There were five different classes: Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, Kidō and something called Theory, which I presumed was everything else other that fighting skills. Tuesdays, which happened to be tomorrow, seemed to be a free day; it only had two lessons on it in the morning, both of which were Hohō. I grinned.

The rest of the week was a mixture of all the classes and free periods, presumably to do either what we wanted or for doing homework, if we got any that was.

"Understand the timetable?" Gengorō asked. I nodded before folding up the piece of paper.

"Good. All that's left is to put you in your room, which you will share with another student." The head of Class 1 then picked up another piece of paper from his desk and handed it to me, saying, "Since you didn't started along with everyone else and you haven't been assigned a dormitory yet, I'll allow you to pick your room and, consequently, your roommate."

I took the list-which is what it turned out to be-from Gengorō and began reading the five names:

Room 122: Aina Enoki

Room 127: Eiko Fujikage

Room 128: Izumi Shoda

Room 131: Hana Nishi

Room 134: Katsu Adachi

My eyes were immediately drawn to the name written by Room 134. Maybe it was because of the similarities between hers and Kate's name, or maybe because the room number had 4 in it-my supposed lucky number. Whichever it was, straightaway I knew that was the room I wanted to stay in. _Very decisive, _my inner voice commented, fighting a yawn.

_About one of the only things I can be decisive about._

_You got that right._

Smiling, I handed the list back to Gengorō and pointed to Katsu's name.

"I'd like to stay in room 134," I said, folding my hands behind my back and rocking on the balls of my feet. I glanced over at Takuma as I did so and noticed that he was staring at me in an odd way, his head cocked to one side and his eyes narrowed. I frowned slightly but turned back to Gengoro, who dipped his head, smiling. "I'm sure you will get along nicely, especially since she is also in the advanced class. There should be a uniform ready for you when…" but I was only half listening, as the other half was following Renji's ever receding Spiritual Pressure. _I really wish I'd said goodbye to him, _I thought, slightly sadly. My inner voice was silent for a moment, before it surprised me by saying, _Why don't you then? You can still catch him if you hurry._

_You're encouraging me?_

_Yes I…I suppose I am, _it said and, like when it had asked me to sing a song for it, I felt a sense of confusion emanating from it.

_Huh, you're a strange thing, whatever you are, _I mused, before returning my attentions to Gengorō, who was just finishing speaking: "…just ask Takuma as he shows you around if you have any questions, I'm sure he'll be happy to answer." I nodded.

"Before Takuma shows me around, can I go and thank Byakuya?"

Gengorō seemed surprised. "What for?"

"For not killing me when I fell unconscious," I said with a small smile. It wasn't a lie, exactly-I really did need to thank him-but I didn't want them to know my real reason, as they might think it _slightly _strange to say the least. Takuma's eyebrows rose into his hairline, and his Zanpakutō, whose name appeared to be Sairen Iki, was just as surprised. The head of Class 1 blinked, but then nodded. I almost jumped for joy, but restrained myself with the help of my inner voice and instead, after placing my timetable on the desk, hurried over to the door and opened it. Just as I was about to leave, Gengorō called out, "But be quick, as Takuma here has to get back to his classes. I grinned mischievously.

"Don't worry, I will be," I said, before concealing my Spiritual Pressure and Flash Stepping away.

* * *

Back in the office, Gengorō and Takuma stared at the now empty doorway, where a moment before had stood a short, white robbed, cooper and blue haired girl with bright hazel eyes and a mischievous smile. After staring at it for a moment more Takuma looked over at Gengorō, who had an unreadable expression on his round face.

"She's good. Different, but good," Takuma said, brushing a strand of dark hair from his eyes. Gengorō didn't respond; simply stared at the slowly closing door. Finally, after a few more beats of silence, he blinked slowly before saying, "Yes…still, there's something…strange about her. I can't put my finger on it, but whenever she was doing something with her Spiritual Pressure, I felt the strangest sensation. Almost as if there were something else inside of it."

"And when you tried to look closer, it disappeared, didn't it?" Takuma asked, causing Gengorō to start and look at him.

"How did you know that?"

Takuma leant back against the wall, his green eyes narrowed slightly as he returned to staring at the door. "Because I felt it as well."

* * *

I Flash Stepped down the corridor, dodging the occasional person with ease. The corridors raced by as I Shunpoed around corner after corner, heading to where I could sense Renji's and Byakuya's Spiritual Pressures' as they headed towards the front of the school. Luckily it was lesson time for everyone else, as if it hadn't been I would have had a much harder job of going at speed whilst trying to avoid knocking people down in my wake.

There _you are! _I thought with a smile as I spotted the familiar long red ponytail near the end of the corridor I had just entered. I had concealed my Spiritual Pressure before I left as I didn't want him noticing me. I wanted to surprise him after all.

My inner voice was silent yet again. In fact, from the way it felt in my chest-sort of heavy, but comfortable-I think it'd fallen asleep.

As I drew neared to the red head and his Captain, I slowed my Flash Step to an average speed so that I wouldn't race past them accidentally. I was grinning widely now, trying to stop myself from rubbing my hands together and cackling madly. He wouldn't expect this at all.

Coming out of Flash Step for a moment, I yelled, "RENJI!" before springing forward again. Renji started upon hearing his name, spinning around so that, when I hit him I caught him fully in the upper part of his chest. He staggered backwards a few steps, such was my momentum, and only just managed to stop himself from toppling over and taking me with him. Not that I would have minded that happening.

When he had finally managed to stop, he stiffened for a moment before realizing that it was me who was practically strangling him. He relaxed; I could feel him smiling as I hung from his neck. I could see Byakuya casting his version of a questioning glance in our direction-which was basically his normal mask, with just the barest hint of a raised eyebrow. I was blushing madly, but I managed to gather enough of my wits to lean back slightly and say, "Told you I'd get you when you least expected it."

Renji laughed, his laughter shaking me as I hung there for another second before dropping to the floor with a soft thump.

"How d'you know I wasn't expecting it, huh?" he asked, grinning down at me. I raised an eyebrow, knowing my cheeks were still red.

"You weren't."

"Maybe I was."

"Weren't."

"Was."

"Weren't," I ended, sticking my tongue out. Renji conceded the point with another smile. Only then did I remember what I had originally said I was coming here for. _Better say thanks just in case Gengorō decides to ask Byakuya about it, _I thought, before sticking my head around Renji and calling, "Hey, Captain Kuchiki!" Byakuya turned his eyes to me.

"What is it?"

"Thanks for not killing me when I fell unconscious the other day!" I said brightly, smiling widely. Byakuya started slightly before nodding slowly in acknowledgment. I stopped being an ostrich and looked up at Renji again.

"Well, I've got to get back so that I can have my tour of the school, so I'll see you around," I said, turning to go.

Before I could, Renji caught my arm. I turned, a question in my eyes. Renji let go of my arm, and after reaching up to cup the back of his neck spoke up. "If you uh, ever need anything you can't get here," he gestured to the school in general, "come find me in squad six, and I'll see what I can do to help." I stared at him for a few seconds as the words, and Renji's slightly embarrassed expression, took a moment to register, but when they did I flushed again, a smile forming on my lips.

"I will do," I said in a grateful voice, causing Renji to smile as well.

"Well, I'll see you round then Shorty." Renji reached out and fluffed my hair. I halfheartedly brushed his hand away. "I'm not short," I grumbled, but ruined the effect by smiling. "And yeah, I'll see you around."

I turned around, still grinning, and had just started to Flash Step forward when I felt myself being swept of my feet. Because I had been Flash Stepping forward whilst still on my feet, I carried on like that, except instead of being on my feet I was tumbling head over heels, much like Renji had done earlier.

_Ow ow ow ow ow ow OW!_ I groaned as I thumped along, aware of laughter following my every bounce. When I finally skidded to a stop, looking as if I had tried to do a forwards roly-poly and the splits at the same time, the laughter, which I now knew to be Renji's, only got louder. I finally managed to uncross my eyes and focus on an upside down Renji, who was laughing and managing to look triumphant at the same time.

"I aha ha..I managed to…hahaha get you back AHAHAHA! He laughed as he walked over, wiping his eyes and snickering. Zabimaru was chortling to, but I could hear Senbonzakura saying, _Such children, _in an exasperated voice. I snorted before lifting my legs over my head and then rolling over so I was laid on my stomach. I glared up at him, seeing Byakuya sigh.

"Thanks for that," I said sarcastically, pulling my legs under me and standing up. I dusted myself of and tried to straighten my ponytail and fringe, but the blue strands had taken advantage of the chaos and now would _not_ go back into place. Sighing, I let them be before returning to glaring at Renji. He gave me a one shouldered shrug.

"You did it to me, so what was I supposed to do?"

"Not do it?" I questioned, but my annoyance was already fading.

"I wasn't gonna let a chance like that pass by," Renji smirked. I just rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, well, now I really do need to go. _Without _any more tripping up." Renji continued to smirk.

"See you round then," I said. Renji nodded, and as I turned to go for the second time he replied with a smile in his voice.

"Yeah, see you round…Taiyesha." Warmth buzzed through me as Renji said the name I'd invented for myself in this world. It sounded nice when he said it.

Throwing a smile over my shoulder, I waved goodbye to both him and Byakuya before Flash Stepping away, happiness dancing through my veins.

* * *

**Me: ooooohhhh that was a long chapter I like long chapters they're fun to read. Renji's gone of somewhere I don't know where HEY RENJI, WHERE ARE YOOOOOUUU?**

**Renji: *to Byakuya, who happens to be walking by at the time* Captain, you _have _to help me. I've got Devicorn chasing me and she's _hyper! _**

**Byakuya: *looks over Renji's shoulder and sees me running around madly, looking everywhere for Renji* I think that you are quite capable of handling her by your-OOF!**

**Me: *sat on top of Byakuya, having just tackled him to the ground* Hey Bya-kun long time no see how are you what have you been doing hey your hair's all funny and messed up!**

**Byakuya: Renji...get her off of me. Now.**

**Me: Why do you want me to get of don't you like me why don't you like me I'll cry if you say you don't like me again...**

**Renji: *laughing and taking pictures of his stricken Captain* No can do Captain ahahaha! After all, hehe, I think that you are quite capable of handling her by yourself** **HAHAHA! XD**


	14. No Secrets

**Me: OOooh, look, another chapter. I'm writing these as if my life depended on it!**

**Renji: I hope it doesn't.**

**Byakuya: ...Why am I here again?**

**Me: Because I say so. And what the author says, you have to do. Now, smile.**

**Byakyua: ...**

**Me: I'm waiting**

**Renji: ...Well, as Devicorn is trying to make my Captain smile, which she will most likely fail at, I will do the Disclaimer. Devicorn does not own any of Bleach, though she wishes she does. She only owns her OC's, and whatever happens to them.**

**Me: ...**

**Byakuya: ...**

**Renji: *sigh***

* * *

Chapter 14: No Secrets 

I waved goodbye to Takuma, unable to keep from smiling. He was a lot of fun to be around; cracking jokes and treating me as if he had known me most of his life instead of a couple of hours.

Once I had returned to the office, Takuma had taken me on a tour of the school, showing me where the classrooms that were on my timetable were. He had been slightly quiet at first, but once I had told him about the fact that I could hear Zanpakutō (I had accidentally complimented him on Sairen Iki's–which meant Sirens Breath–name, much to the annoyance of my inner voice) he had opened up completely. As we had walked, he had explained about his Zanpakutō being water based, some of its abilities and when he had first heard her name. I found it extremely easy to talk to him, and knew I had found my first friend at the Shinigami Academy.

He had even shared my view on one of the students in my class, as we had come across them in the Kido training grounds.

The boy had been about 5'8, with an athletic build. He had ash blond hair that matched his pale complexion. His slightly pointed features had been pulled into an unpleasant smirk–one that told me I would _not _get on with him–when he had turned icy blue eyes that held no warmth on me.

"I don't like him," I had commented as I stared back, frowning slightly.

"Who?" Takuma had asked.

"The boy with the ash blond hair."

"Ahh, him," Takuma had said with a smile when he saw where I was looking. "That's Yu Osagawa, one heck of an annoying, arrogant boy if the rumours are anything to go by. He comes from a rich family and is supposedly one of the best in the class…are you alright?" he asked with a concerned look, as he had seen me gasp slightly at the boy's name. _That is an extremely strange and disturbing coincidence, _I had thought as I waved a hand at Takuma, telling him I was fine. My voice thing had still been asleep then, but it was awake now.

_That must have been very disconcerting, _it said with a yawn as I opened the sliding door and walked into what was to be my room for my stay at the Academy.

It was a nice room–I think my lucky number had paid off this time–with lots of room and a large window in the center of the back wall, which showed a large grassy area filled with trees. In the distance I could see the tops of the walls of various streets, stained orange by the setting sun. A gentle breeze was blowing through the slightly open window, bringing with it the smell of fresh air.

_It certainly was, _I replied as I wandered over to the mattress on the right hand side of the room, the one that had a neatly folded red and white uniform resting on the pillow. The other mattress, on the left hand side, had a few pieces of paper on it, and the covers were rumpled from where my roommate hadn't made her bed. I smiled.

Placing my time table down on the small set of draws–which were identical to the ones at the head of the other mattress–at the head of my mattress, I closed the pale curtains before quickly changing into my new uniform; putting first the shitagi on, followed by the red striped kosode and finally the red hakama. I knew that I wouldn't be going to any lessons, but I wanted to have a bit of practice before tomorrow.

It took a while, as I wasn't used to it, but I eventually managed to get everything on right. I left the socks and the sandals of, as I loved walking around barefoot. It allowed you to feel more of the world.

_Well, what do you think? _I asked my inner voice as I admired myself in the mirror above my set of draws. Not to blow my own trumpet or anything, but I think it suited me quite well.

_Very nice, _my inner voice commented with a laugh. I smiled and did a last twirl before wandering over to the slightly open window. Reaching up, I opened it fully, climbed out onto the wide, almost widow seat–like sill and leaned back against the frame, curling one leg up and draping an arm over it. I let the other leg dangle down, my bare feet brushing the grass as we were on the ground floor.

I had always done this back at the orphanage–mostly on clear, starry nights as I had always loved gazing up at their silent, ethereal beauty–even though I was on the third floor, a good twenty, if not more, metres from the pavement below, and even though I had nothing but air below the thin window sill. I didn't really mind the risk of falling, because those times were some of the only times when I felt I was truly happy.

Giving a contented sigh, I closed my eyes and turned my face towards the dying sun, enjoying the warmth. My inner voice also settled; not sleeping, merely resting like I was. I had had a long day, and was about ready to drift off to sleep.

_Even after five days here, I still can't believe that my favourite world actually exists. It just seems so…so strange to actually be here, in a place I have always wanted to be, and not dead at that._

_Well, you should. This is actually happening, so don't do anything stupid or you may yet end up dead._

_Pessimistic thing, aren't you? _My inner voice didn't reply. Instead, it simply yawned. After another moment or two of silence I suddenly remembered a question that had been bugging me ever since I heard the weird voice.

_Hey, voice thing?_

_Yes?_

_Are you the voice of my Zanpakutō? Because here, when you hear a voice that no–one else can, it means that the voice is your Zanpakutō talking to you._

_Well, in this case, that isn't true, _it murmured mysteriously. It laughed slightly, but I could sense a sort of anxiety emanating from it.

_O…k, _I said confusedly. _If you aren't my Zanpakutō, then could you be my inner hollow? _I felt a jolt of terror spear through me at the thought that I might have an inner hollow. Ichigo had one, and the results, when it came out to play, were _never _pretty.

_No._

_What the actual hell are you then? _I questioned, slightly frustrated as I couldn't think of anything else that the weird voice could be. Instead of answering, my inner voice seemed to draw a cloak around itself, snapping a, _you ask too many questions, _before essentially cutting itself off from me. I opened my eyes and stared down at my chest, which was where the thing seemed to reside.

"Stupid strange thing," I growled, before closing my eyes again and going back to relaxing in the last sunshine of the day.

A cool, dusky breeze caressed my cheek as I turned my head towards the opening door of my new room. My new roommate stepped in and, not noticing me, closed the door and slid down it with a sigh of exhausted relief. Only when she was on the floor did she look up and notice me sat in the window.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" she yelled, jumping up and cringing away in the comical way that only anime characters could do. I laughed before swinging myself back into the room and standing. Katsu–I had only just remembered her name–watched me suspiciously as I walked up to her and held out my hand.

"I'm Taiyesha Tategaowa, your new roommate!" I said with a smile. Katsu stared at me for so long that I began to feel uncomfortable, but just as I started to withdraw my hand she launched forward and hugged me tightly. _Gah, it's almost as if I'm being hugged by Rangiku's boobs again! _I thought as her rib crushing hug continued. Finally she let me go, and then promptly began dancing on the spot with a happy smile.

"Oh, you have _no _idea how happy I am!" she cried excitedly, and as she danced around I got my first proper look at her. She was a couple of inches taller than me, and had dark blond hair pulled into a high ponytail that bounced with her every dancing step. Her fringe was split in two down either side of her open, heart shaped face, leaving her bright grey eyes free to sparkle happily. A smile tilted the corners of her small mouth up, causing me to smile as well.

Her athletic build lent her a dancer's grace, so that even when she probably wasn't meaning to be graceful she didn't put a foot wrong or stumble clumsily.

"This is the _best _day of my life! I was _so _disappointed when I didn't have a roommate, but now that I do everything's going to be great!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

_Another person with a happy go lucky personality, _I thought with a grin. My inner voice still seemed to be in a grump, as it didn't reply, but I could feel it come out of its cloak slightly and peer at Katsu through my eyes. _I _really _want to know how it does that!_

"So you must be Katsu Adachi?" I enquired. I was pretty sure that she was, but there was no harm in checking. Katsu had calmed slightly–she was no longer bouncing around quite as much.

"Yup! How did you know?" Before I had a chance to answer she switched to another topic so fast it almost left me disoriented. "I have a rule that you have to stick to if you're going to be my friend!"

"O…k," I stuttered, still trying to catch up with her lightning fast shift of topic. "What's your rule then?"

"No secrets!"

"That's quite a…good rule," I replied, whilst trying to think of a way I was going to not tell her about my voice thing without feeling guilty. It hadn't even been five minutes and I was already starting to feel close to Katsu; similar to how it had been with Kate back home.

"It is isn't it? I think that if you're going to be a really good friend you should tell them everything, as that way they can help share the burden when no–one else can," Katsu smiled again. She seemed extremely kind and sincere.

"Your right," I said, suddenly deciding that I would tell her about my inner voice. In fact, I would tell her everything; where I came from, what had happened to get me to the school, my not so small crush on Renji and, much to it's anger, my inner voice.

_No! You WILL NOT tell her about me!_

_Oh, and who are you to tell me what to do? _It had nothing to say to that, but I could sense it seething away.

"Well, if you want there to be no secrets between us, then we'll have to sit down, as I have a _lot _to tell," I said. Katsu looked at me curiously before nodding and plonking down on her mattress. After closing the window I did the same, then took a breath before beginning.

I did indeed tell her everything; about my own world, about Bleach and about everything else. It was only when I got around to telling her about my inner voice, and when I had discovered it, that I encountered some problems. When I tried to tell Katsu, my inner voice clamped my mouth shut. Katsu stared at me as I struggled to speak, her eyebrows drawn together in a small frown.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Nothing. It's just this stupid thing won't. Let. Me. Talk. About. It." I managed to say through gritted teeth before my inner voice clamped down on my vocal chords, causing Katsu's frown to deepen. _ENOUGH! _My inner voice cried. _I don't want my existence known to _anyone _except yourself, and I will not let you speak until you promise me that you will not talk about me to anyone!_

_I will not make that promise!_

_Why not? The rule this girl made isn't even official, so you don't need to follow i–_

_But I'm going to, so let. Me. SPEAK! _I growled, before somehow managing to wrench control of my voice back from the weird voice thing. It seemed to reel away when I did this; completely stunned. Muttering a few choice curse words I then looked over at Katsu, who was looking extremely confused.

"Sorry about that," I said, cupping the back of my head with a hand. "My stupid inner voice didn't want me to tell you about it, but I managed to 'persuade' it to."

"Your inner…voice?"

"Yeah. It appeared on the day when I arrived here from my world, and helped me learn Flash Step. It can also somehow take control of me, which is what it was doing to my vocal chords just now. It changed when Captain Kuchiki tried to use Senka on me, but it's essentially the same as it was," I answered, waiting for my inner voice to stop me mid–sentence. But it didn't. In fact, it was quiet, emanating a sense of extreme disquiet; almost as if my taking back control from it had scared it in some way.

Katsu stared at me for a moment, her eyebrows raised high, and then said, "Show me."

I was amazed. _She actually sounds as though she believes me!_

"I can try," I said, before asking my inner voice, _Hey, whatever you are, can you show Katsu how you can take control of me? _It didn't answer for a moment; simply sitting there in my chest in the same state of confusion mixed with shock, but then: _Fine._

I grinned and managed to say to Katsu, "It says ok," before my inner voice assumed control of my body. It was a weird sensation; being inside my body but not in control of it.

My inner voice blinked my eyes a couple of times, as if adjusting to the way I saw things, before turning my head towards Katsu and saying, "Hello, Taiyesha's roommate." Katsu yelped in shock, and I couldn't blame her. It must have been disconcerting to her an obviously masculine voice coming from a female's body.

_I'm going back now, _it said, before giving me back my body and hiding itself away from me. I could still sense it, but only just. It was as if it were cringing away from me.

"Whoa, that was _so _WEIRD!" Katsu cried, before crawling over to me and starting to poke and prod at my head. I laughed. "It's not in my head, silly. It's here," I said as I batted her hand away and touched my lower chest. She stared at the area I had indicated for a moment before sitting down and letting out a long breath.

"And I thought _I _was interesting," Katsu said with a grin, leaning back on her hands. I smiled and leaned back against the wall behind me.

"I'm sure you are, so why don't you tell me about yourself, now that I've told you everything about me?" I replied.

"Alright!" Katsu clapped her hands together, before glancing out of the now closed window and frowning.

"Ah phooey, it's getting late," she pouted, before brightening again.

"Oh well, I'll just have to tell you five things about me, and save the rest for tomorrow!" I nodded in agreement; gesturing for her to start her list of five.

"Ok; Number one: I want to be in Squad 13 when I leave the Academy. Number two: I'm distantly related to Kūkaku Shiba."

_Oh, that's awesome! _I thought to myself, grinning as I remembered Kūkaku and Ganju Shiba's antics during the first ever arc of Bleach.

"Number three: I hate sushi. Number four: I come from West Rukongai, District 20. And Number five: I have a teensy tiny–actually, no. I have a HUGE crush on this sixth year called Takuma Hayakawa."

"Is this Takuma about your height, with black hair and green eyes?" I questioned, smiling when Katsu's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.

"H–how do you know that? Are you psychic?"

"Nope. He just happened to be the person to show me around the school earli–!"

"What was he like!? I mean. I _know _he's handsome and amazing and all, but what was he _actually _like as a person?" Katsu questioned, leaning further forward with every question until she was in danger of toppling over onto me.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold your horses a moment," I said, holding my hands up as Katsu stared at me with wide eyes.

_ She's so like Kate, it's scary, _I thought with an inward smile. My inner voice was still not responding; it seemed to have gone to sleep again, but I couldn't be sure.

"I _will_ tell you about him, but in the morning, because as you said earlier, it's getting late." Katsu pouted again, but nodded.

"You better, else I won't be your friend!" she said in mock annoyance before standing up to get changed. I laughed, knowing that I had made yet another friend.

Today had been a good day.

* * *

**Me: YOU DID SMILE! I SAW IT! *jumping up and down in rage/excitement***

**Byakuya: I did not.**

**Me: YOU DID! YOU SMIRKED A LITTLE, AND THEN DID A FULL ON SMILE LIKE IN THE SHINIGAMI ILLUSTRATED PICTURE BOOK!**

**Byakuya: What was I smiling about in this Shinigami Picture Book that you speak of?**

**Me: Renji was asking if you went to the Shinigami Women Association in place of Rukia just so you could see the girls or something like that, and you did a kinda creepy, kinda cute smile.**

**Byakuya: ...*smirk***

**Me: YOU DID IT AGAIN! DIDN'T HE, RENJI?**

**Renji: You did that time Capta-ahhh, Captain, why are you dropping your sword...OH CRAP RUN!**

**Byakuya: Scatter, Senbonzakura**

**Me: Ah SH-**

**Byakuya: ... XD**


	15. Tag-and-you-die

**Byakyua: Devicorn and Renji are, unfortunately, unable to talk to you all today, due to an...unfortunate accident that landed them in squad 4...So I have decided that I will talk to you, and do the disclaimer on their behalf, as it does not take up too much of my time.**

**Me: *Yelling at Byakuya through layers of bandages* UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT MY ASS!**

**Byakuya: ...*Sigh* Devicorn does not own Bleach or any of its characters. She only owns her OCs and anything that happens to them during the course of this story. There. Now, I must go to the Captains meeting. Farewell.**

**Me: GET YOUR BACKSIDE BACK HERE OR I'LL-*is shut up my a sedative***

**Byakuya: Do nothing is what you'll do.**

* * *

Chapter 15: Tag-and-you-die

"So you're the new student eh?" questioned a slightly nasally voice behind me, causing me to turn around to see who it was.

When I'd woken up, it had been with a smile as I remembered the day before, and another smile when I had looked at our time table and realised that I would be doing Shunpo on my first day.

After getting changed (I'd decided to use the white robe I had arrived here in as my pyjamas), Katsu and I had made our way over to the Hohō training grounds, where we had found some of the other students milling around. I'd been introduced to them, and they'd all seemed a pretty decent bunch to be in a class with. None were arrogant about the fact that they were in the top class of the year.

At least, none of the ones I had met when I'd arrived had been. The ones that had only just arrived, however, were a different story.

Standing behind me, and obviously the one who had spoken, was Yu Osagawa. Beside me, Katsu tensed. She had told me this morning, after I had told her about Takuma and my 'small' crush on Renji of course, that she really didn't like Yu. It had only been two days (they had started at the Academy on a Sunday) and he had already managed to put everyone in their place; seeming to take great pleasure out of irritating Katsu more than anyone else.

"Yeah, I am," I replied, having to tilt my head back slightly to look into Yu's eyes. Up close, his face was even paler, and his cheeks looked slightly hollow.

_I don't like him. At all, _my inner voice growled. It had recovered from whatever had happened to it yesterday, but still seemed slightly…scared of me.

Yu gave me a once over, causing me to scowl and cross my arms over my chest. A slight sneer began to pull at the corner of his lips, and his next comment proved that he was almost as nice as the Yu from my world.

"You don't look like much."

"You're one to talk," I scoffed, staring right back at him as his sneer turned to a scowl.

I'm pretty sure sparks would have started flying between us in the next few moments, but luckily the Teacher, as well as someone else who looked suspiciously like a member of Squad 2, entered the long, narrow and open–to–the–air space that was the Hohō training grounds.

Our teacher was a tall, willowy woman with longish brown hair that was loose around her shoulders, and slightly severe features. "Alright students, I want you to come and sit in neat rows in front of me," she called in a loud voice.

When nobody moved apart from Yu and I, who stopped our staring match to look over at the two newcomers, our teacher's dark blue eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

"I said I want you students to come and sit in neat rows in front of me, NOW!" She bellowed this last word, causing us to all jump before rushing to obey her command. Katsu and I went to sit in the back row, along with a few of the others I had started making friends with before Yu had so rudely interrupted.

Our Teacher smiled, having achieved her goal, before crossing her arms in front of her and speaking again.

"My name is Akemi Konae, but you will address me as Miss Konae. Understand?"

"Yes Miss Konae," we all chorused, apart from Yu and a couple of people next to him, who I presumed to be his cronies. Miss Konae nodded before continuing.

"I will be your Hohō instructor for the rest of your time here at the Shin'ō Academy. There are a variety of techniques within the area of Hohō, but the main one is Shunpo, or Flash Step. You probably already know what I mean by this, so I won't bother explaining it you in detail. I will just show you." At this, Miss Konae Flash Stepped over to the other end of the training ground. I heard everyone gasp in amazement; they hadn't seen anything apart from Miss Konae disappearing and re–appearing again. I, on the other hand, was able to see all the steps she took in between, just as I'd been able to watch Shūhei when he'd been chasing me.

As I smirked slightly, I got the sense that someone was watching me. Turning my head to the right, I found my eyes locking with those of the man who had accompanied Miss Konae. He was stood in the shadows underneath the pillar supported roof that ran the length of the training grounds, so almost seemed to blend in with everything else. Apart from his eyes.

Bright gold eyes stared out from under half hooded lids and drawn together eyebrows, never wavering as they watched me with slight curiosity. I felt myself still as I stared back, almost in a kind of trance as I examined him.

A large scar ran diagonally across his narrow face; going from the left of his chin, across the bridge of his nose and just missing his right eye before disappearing into his ash coloured hair, which hung in messy strands and partially covered his left eye. The other unusual thing about him was the snowy white streak of hair that followed the line of his scar, seemingly all the way around his head.

A mask, much like Hanza Nukui's, covered his nose and mouth, and through it I could see that he was frowning minutely. The dark hilt of a sword poked up above his left shoulder.

As I continued to watch him, with Katsu whispering, "Why are you looking at that man like that?" and my inner voice muttering to itself and seeming to look over at Yu, the man, who I could now safely assume was from Squad 2, started towards us with silent steps.

I heard a slight whistle and looked over to find that Miss Konae had Flash Stepped back to where she had been. The man walked over to her side and stopped, folding his arms and still watching me.

"You should tell Miss Konae that you can do Flash Step already," Katsu whispered, elbowing me in the side to draw my attention to her.

"No, I don't wan–"

"That is what you will be able to do when you have mastered Shunpo," Miss Konae interrupted. She then continued. "You may, if you are talented enough, be able to do it even faster than I. Like tenth seat Mamoru Umeki here," she said, gesturing to the man beside her as she said his name. He nodded, but said nothing.

"Because you are in the top class, I requested that Squad 2 send someone who was accomplished in Shunpo over, so that you would get all the help required for people of your level of skill. Also, he may be able to give you pointers where I cannot, so…is there a problem?" Miss Konae asked in a sharp voice, causing Katsu and I, who had been bickering quietly about whether to tell her about the fact that I could already use Shunpo, to stop and look at her.

I waved my hands and smiled. "No no, nothing's wro–!"

"Taiyesha here can already do Shunpo," Katsu interrupted and gestured to me, sending me a 'well, you'd have had to tell her some time,' look. I elbowed her in the side, causing her to pout and shove me back.

"Is this true?" Miss Konae asked, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Mamoru raise an eyebrow. I cupped the back of my head, and wouldn't have answered had Katsu not hissed, "Say yes or I will for you!" and my inner voice not said, _Go on. It should be fun. _I didn't like the way it said it; with a slightly gleeful edge to it's laughing voice, but I couldn't think of a reason not to, so I complied.

"Yes, Miss Konae, I can," I sighed, letting my hand fall into my lap. Miss Konae blinked, before giving Mamoru a look. He nodded, and then disappeared into Flash Step.

"Hey, where is h–AHHHH!" I cried before Flash Stepping to safety as Mamoru reappeared behind me, his sword swinging down towards the place I had been a moment ago.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" I yelled from my place atop the right hand side roof, glaring down at the tenth seat. He was looking down at his sword, which was now embedded in the ground due to the amount of force he'd put behind it, in complete surprise, as if he hadn't really believed I could use Shunpo. Katsu and the other person I'd been sat beside were cringing as far away from him as possible.

When I yelled down at Mamoru, his, along with Miss Konae and everyone else's, eyes turned towards me. He blinked, his eyebrows rising into his ashy hair, before tugging his sword from the ground and re–sheathing it.

Then he disappeared again.

"Oh, come _on_, wi–" I started to say, but was cut off as Mamoru once again appeared next to me, this time lashing out with a lightning fast punch that just brushed my jaw before I managed to Shunpo away with the aid of my inner voice. _Don't let him get so close again! _it huffed as I came out of Flash Step and landed lightly on the opposite side of the roof.

_I'm trying not to, but he's so fast! _I replied, before having to Flash Step away again as Mamoru Shunpoed over to me and tried to hit me again.

"Will. You. Stop. It!" I growled, punctuating each word with a Flash Step as I tried not to let myself be hit by Mamoru's punches and kicks. I could sense everyone trying to follow my movements as I passed overhead, but I had to ignore them unless I wanted to be sent flying.

Finally, after a few more near misses, my inner voice and I had had enough.

Flash Stepping into the air, I then aimed myself towards the left side roof and darted down to it. Mamoru had just landed in the air and was about to follow me, but I wasn't going to give him time.

When I landed, I allowed myself to sink into a crouch before springing backwards the way I had come.

Faster than the eye could see I drew level with the annoying tenth seat and came out of Flash Step. Planting my foot on the air I began to turn.

"I SAID QUIT IT!" I snarled before putting my momentum into a spinning kick with my right foot that caught a surprised Mamoru square in the chest.

With an "Oof" as the air left him he flew backwards. He would have carried on going for a while had he not managed to recover; flipping over and landing in a slightly wobbly way on the roof below.

"Phew," I sighed, my limbs aching. Going that fast whilst trying to avoid being punched and kicked had tired me out. My inner voice was grumbling about inconsiderate so–and–so's trying to hurt me for no good reason, and I wholeheartedly agreed with it.

_Bastard, _I thought as I looked down at the roof beneath me…only to find I was standing on nothing but thin air.

"HOLY CRAP!" I yelped before Flash Stepping down onto the roof next to Mamoru. My heart was racing; I had _not _been expecting that to happen.

Being able to stand on the air was a skill that many Shinigami were able to do naturally–after learning how to, of course–but only if they were well trained. It was done by fixing spirit particles beneath your feet to create a stable platform in the air to stand on.

As I stood there trying to figure out how I had done that, a calm, soft voice sounded behind me.

"It seems you're actually able to use Shunpo, and with a high degree of skill. And you were even able to catch me of guard for a moment." I turned around at the sound of this new voice and found myself looking up into Mamoru's golden eyes. In this light, the white streak in his hair was even brighter.

"What the hell were you doing playing Tag-and-you-die!?" I asked angrily, causing Mamoru to blink in surprise before smiling.

"Miss Konae and I had agreed beforehand to check if someone who said they could do Shunpo was actually telling the truth," he said, gesturing down to Miss Konae, who was watching us.

"And you couldn't have thought of any other way to test me?" I asked sarcastically, causing Mamoru to snort and shake his head.

"Surprise always yields the best results."

"Surprise yields the best results my ass," I muttered, rubbing my jaw where the tenth seat had almost caught me with his first punch.

"If you two would come down here, I would like to talk to you," Miss Konae called. Mamoru nodded before disappearing from in front of me and reappearing beside Miss Konae in the blink of an eye.

Still grumbling to myself, I followed suit.

"Now, I want the rest of you to get into pairs and spread yourselves out evenly along the edge of the grass," Miss Konae instructed with a clap of her hands. Looking past her, I noticed Katsu giving me a not so subtle thumbs up, which I returned. I also saw that Yu, much to my delight, was looking slightly dumbfounded at what had just happened. I grinned.

"You seem quite adept at Shunpo," Miss Konae said, drawing my attention to her.

"As you already seem to be able to do pretty much everything that I could teach you about Flash Stepping, I am going to ask Mamoru to be your teacher. He is far more adept at Shunpo than I, so I am sure he would be able to find something for you to work on," Miss Konae stated with a smile. "You may use this training area for the remainder of this two hour lesson, but it might be easier if you go to one of the disused training grounds where there are fewer distractions."

After saying this last bit she turned away from us and began addressing the class. Mamoru placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up at him.

"I think it will be easier if we go to one of the disused training grounds," he said in his soft voice.

"Ok."

"Follow me then," he said, before disappearing once more. I sighed before Shunpoing after him.

* * *

**Renji: Ahh, Hi guys. Devicorn's still being treated for all those injuries my Captain inflicted on her. I was better of, so here I-**

**Byakuya: What caused your injuries? *glares at Renji***

**Renji: It was us being clumsy! We just tripped down some stairs and fell on glass! Yeah, that was it!**

**Byakuya: I thought so.**

**Renji: *whispering as Byakuya walks away* It was really him using his Bankai on us.**

**Me: *covered in bandages still and only just able to walk* Asshole.**

**Renji: You got that right.**

**Byakuya: *overhears* _W__hat _did you call me?**

**Renji and Me: NOTHING! **


	16. Jinzen

**Me: It's finally over. Finally over. I've finished art. I can actually do some of my own art work *sits there rocking in a corner, crying with happiness***

**Renji and Byakuya: *both raise eyebrows***

**Renji Are..are you okay?**

**Me: I'm more than okay! I've just finished another chapter and have now basically finisher art forever. Oh you don't know how much of a relief it is to have some of my own time back! *leaps at Renji and hugs***

**Byakuya: Why am I still here?**

**Me: *Leaps at Byakuya and hugs as well* because I say so! Now, I don't own Bleach - Tite Kubo does - but I do own my OC's and anything that happens to them. ON WITH THE STORY! *clambers onto Byakuya's back***

**Byakuya: ... -_-**

* * *

Chapter 16: Jinzen

"Your accuracy has improved dramatically, but you still need to work on your timing," Mamoru said, the bright afternoon sunlight highlighting his scar, which he told me had been caused by a too–close–for–comfort encounter with a particularly strong hollow. I nodded, feeling tired, but not as tired as I had done that first time. It was a week and a day after I had started at the Academy, and during my first week I had discovered three things.

1: I absolutely despised Yu Osagawa. As soon as we'd finished the Hohō training on my first day, and had been allowed to do what we wanted, he had come up to me and accused me of cheating. The ensuing argument had almost resulted in us coming to blows. I know I would have punched him had Katsu not dragged me away by the scruff of my neck, muttering, "We'll get him, just not now Taiyesha."

2: I was actually pretty good at Hakuda and Zanjutsu. Off the two, I would say that Hakuda was the one I wasn't as good at. I understood everything, and could do it, but, like with my Shunpo but to a greater degree, my timing was off. Katsu, though, was amazing at it, she had even impressed the grouch of a teacher we had. Yu, much to my displeasure, was second best in the class, and I was fifth. He took every opportunity to remind me of this, and the fact that I was only on the same level as him, and not above him, in Zanjutsu. We were both vying for the top spot in that one.

3: I sucked at Kidō. The first time I had used Hadō number 1: Shō, I had caused an explosion that had thrown me back a couple of feet and slightly singed my clothes. Our teacher had thought that it might be because I had strong Spiritual Pressure, and therefore a good amount of power, and so had decided to allow me to try Hadō 11: Tsuzuri Raiden. It hadn't gone well. The resulting explosion had been large enough to make a small crater in the ground and to cause minor burns on everyone within 10 feet of me. My uniform had been severely burnt, so much so that I'd had to get a new one. You can imagine the joy this had caused Yu who was, of course, the best at Kidō.

Katsu had tried to comfort me by saying that it had been beginner's bad luck, and my inner voice had assured me that, with a little practice, my problems would go away, but a week later and I was still causing minor explosions every time it was my turn to use Bakudō or Hadō.

Smiling and saying goodbye to Mamoru, with whom I had become quite good friends, I Flash Stepped back to the normal Hohō training ground, where Katsu was waiting for me as everyone else filed through the door.

_You _can _remember what you have next, right? _my inner voice asked sarcastically.

_Yes I can, thank you very much! It's Zanjutsu! _I snapped back as I joined Katsu and began walking towards the door, not wanting to be reminded of the fact that I'd almost been late last Wednesday after forgetting what class I had. My inner voice chuckled quietly. It had become a lot nicer about the fact that Katsu knew about it, and would now even speak to her occasionally.

"I can't wait to get my asauchi!" Katsu exclaimed happily, skipping along beside me. She was so much like Kate that it caused pangs of homesickness to sweep through me every now and again.

_That's right, _I thought. _Today's the day we get the asauchi that will, eventually, become our Zanpakutō! _

Our Zanjutsu teacher had promised us last Wednesday that, if we were all doing well enough by next week, we would be allowed to have the asauchi we would use throughout our stay at the Academy.

My inner voice sighed at this thought, probably because I had been constantly told by Katsu and had managed to forget again, but I could sense something emanating from it; almost like it were building something up inside itself.

Shaking my head at it as we wound our way towards the Zanjutsu training hall, I replied to Katsu's excited rambling.

"I don't think anyone can," I smiled, before scowling. "Especially Yu; he seems extra keen to get his and start trying to beat me over the head with it," I continued, scowling at the annoying boy's back as he sauntered along ahead of us, his cronies huddling around him like moths around a flame. Katsu laughed.

"Ahh, I'm sure you'll be the one doing the beating once you get your asauchi," she assured me. I flicked my blue fringe from my eyes and smiled. _I certainly hope so, _I thought, and my inner voice snorted, but not in a derisive way.

_What's got you all happy all of a sudden? _I questioned. My inner voice smirked.

_Nothing…_ it replied, but I knew that whatever it was, it was certainly not nothing.

_Ugh, you're so annoying, _I commented, to which my inner voice seemed to just shrug and smile mischievously. Sighing, I turned my attention back to the outside world, where we were just coming up to the open door of our Zanjutsu training hall. Through the doorway I could see that our teacher–a tall muscular man with short, military style hair and dark brown eyes–was standing in front of what looked to be a long line of sixth years.

_What are _they _doing here? _I questioned as we walked into the room behind Yu and the others. Takuma, who I had just spotted, waved to Katsu and I, causing Katsu to squeak and wave shyly back. She had, after a chance meeting in the hallway had allowed me to introduce them to each other, become good friends with him like me – the two got on like a house on fire.

I smiled and also waved at him, before dragging the overly happy Katsu towards where all the other first years were sat.

A few minutes later, when everyone was sat down, our teacher, who we knew only as Mr Yamauchi, clapped his hands, silencing the whispered questions asking each other why the sixth years were here.

"As I said in our last lesson, today is the day you will be given the asauchi that you will have for the rest of your lives. If you are diligent, hard-working and are strong enough, your Zanpakutō will make it's name – be it during your time here or when you are assigned to a position within the Soul Society – known to you, and your asauchi will be transformed." I felt some people's gazes turn towards me at the mention of being strong enough, but ignored them.

"You are probably wondering why I have gathered all of the sixth year students here," Mr Yamauchi asked, to which everyone nodded. I saw Takuma smiling as he leant against the wall, probably because he knew why he and everyone else were here.

"It is because today, as well as giving you your asauchi, we will be giving you a chance to practice something called 'Jinzen,' just to see if any of you are able to make even the slightest contact with your Zanpakutō." A murmur of surprise rippled around the first years, including myself. I knew what Jinzen was, of course – the only way that you could properly converse with, or fight and gain new skills from, your Zanpakutō Spirit – but I was surprised that we were doing it so early on in the year.

Mr Yamauchi held up his hands for silence. When he had it once more, he continued. "As you are barely into the start of your time here at the Academy, I do not expect any of you to be able to properly converse with your asauchi, but it is always worth the try, which is why I do it every year. Now, seeing as you probably won't know _how _to go about Jinzen, I have asked the sixth years, who are well versed with Jinzen, to come and give you each an individual tutorial. They will also report to me anything that you achieve, so make sure you try hard," he said with a smile. I felt Katsu practically jumping up and down with joy, probably because of the fact that there was the possibility she might get paired with Takuma.

"If you would all stand, I will pair you with a sixth year student and, after you have picked your asauchi, send you to each to your own separate room, as it is far easier to practice Jinzen when you have no distractions around you," Mr Yamauchi said. We all followed his instructions, Yu trying and failing to trip me in the process.

_Have fun…hehe, _my inner voice commented with a laugh, before surprising me and withdrawing completely from me. Now I really was starting to get suspicious of it.

_What _is _it up to, I wonder? _I thought to myself as everyone started to get paired off with a sixth year student. Yu and his cronies each got paired with students who looked like they would take no nonsense, which made Katsu and I snicker.

Katsu was, much to her disappointment, not paired with Takuma, but the girl she was paired with seemed very nice.

And I was paired with Takuma. He wandered over and smiled warmly down at me, saying, "So how's life at the Academy treating you then?" as a way of greeting me. His Zanpakutō, Sairen Iki, greeted me with a sing song, _Hello._

"Eh, not to bad. I'm great at Shunpo, good at Zanjutsu and Hakuda, but suck at Kidō," I replied with a smile. Takuma grimaced.

"I'd heard there was a student who caused explosions to happen every time they tried to use Kidō."

"Well, that's me," I sighed, shaking my head in slight annoyance before smiling once more. I couldn't stay annoyed in Takuma's infectiously bright presence.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll sort it out," he grinned as we followed Mr Yamauchi and everyone else into the room next door.

Lined up on a desk along the back wall were a number of simple asauchi. Or, to be correct, the handles of them.

Seeing my confused look, Takuma explained. "The reason that the asauchi are just handles is because _you _are the one to mould the Zanpakutō into its sealed shape, as a Zanpakutō manifests when your Reiryoku solidifies into the swords form. If there was a blade, you would have to change the shape of the blade that was already there, which would be a lot harder," he said, gesturing to the bladeless handles as he spoke. A few of my classmates, including Katsu, had stopped to listen, and were nodding in understanding.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense," I smiled, before turning back to the handles along the wall and making my way towards them. Yu had already picked one, and was turning it over in his hands. He probably would have started swinging it around, but his sixth year partner shook his head at him disapprovingly, causing Yu to stop. Snorting, I looked down at the handles.

They were all pretty much the same, so I could have just picked any one of them up. I would have done, had my inner voice not reappeared and said, _Pick that one. The one on the far left, with the crack its hilt, _before turning my head to where it was talking about.

_But why that one? _I asked as I was moved towards it by my inner voice.

_Because I like it, _it answered before picking the slightly damaged asauchi up, giving me my body back and disappearing again. As it did so, I felt a strange sensation from where it resided. Almost as if it had left all but a little part of itself inside me, and had departed to somewhere else.

Turning the asauchi over in my hands as Takuma looked over my shoulder, I ran a finger over the little crack in the simple cross guard. It was fairly small and shallow, but still noticeable.

"Huh, that's odd. I thought all asauchi were the same, but it looks like you've managed to find one that's actually unique," Takuma said, looking down at the crack in the cross guard. After another moment he smiled, shook his head at something and turned towards Mr Yamauchi. I followed him over, showing Mr Yamauchi that I had chosen my asauchi. He nodded, before telling Takuma a room number and waving us from the room. I saw Katsu wave out of the corner of my eye and waved back before we left.

When we were outside the room we had been directed to, Takuma pushed open the door and stepped aside for me to go through first. I thanked him and walked into the simple room, plonking myself down onto one of two cushions facing each other in the middle of the floor. Takuma closed the door, allowing quiet to reign for a moment, before also folding himself onto the other cushion.

"Now," he started, unslinging his Zanpakutō from his shoulder and laying it on the floor between us. "Have you heard of Jinzen before?"

"Yes," I replied truthfully. Takuma nodded before continuing.

"Good. What do you know?"

"Well, I know that it's the only way to have a proper conversation with your Zanpakutō, and that, through it, you are pulled into your inner world, where you can fight your Zanpakutō in order to gain new skills.

"Go on."

"Also, I know that you have to focus your mind to achieve it."

"It does seem as though you know quite a bit about Jinzen, which is a good thing as I find talking through the theory of it boring," Takuma said with a smile, much to the annoyance of Sairen Iki.

_But you need to know the theory behind it in order to practice it, silly, _she said with a singing sigh. Takuma just rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Seeing as I don't have to teach you all of that boring stuff, we can just get straight down to it." He said, ignoring Sairen Iki as she berated him for calling important stuff "boring."

"Ok, so what do I have to do?"

"Simply focus your mind. Empty it of everything and focus your energies inwards. As you don't have a Zanpakutō yet, you won't be able to properly achieve Jinzen, but if you follow my instructions properly you might be able to get into a trance-like state that is almost like Jinzen. Understand?" I nodded, and was about to try it when Sairen Iki spoke up.

_Would you like to see what Jinzen looks like? _She asked me. Much like Zabimaru and the other Zanpakutō, she had been extremely surprised and scared when I had revealed that I could talk to her, but she had overcome that fairly quickly and now seemed to enjoy talking to me.

"That might be helpful," I said aloud smiling down at the blue hilted sword. Takuma, hearing both parts of the conversation, nodded before reaching down and unsheathing the katana shaped Zanpakutō. Gripping Sairen Iki around the middle with both hands side by side, he lightly balanced the Zanpakutō on his folded knees and closed his emerald eyes. There was a moment where he settled himself, another where he stilled, as did Sairen Iki, and then I felt the two suddenly merge with one another somewhere between their two separate beings.

Takuma's body was now completely still apart from the regular shuddering of a strand of his black hair in his steady, deep breaths.

I watched intently, sensing Takuma and Sairen Iki were conversing, but not able to hear them due to the fact that they were in Takuma's inner world. After a few more seconds, Takuma breathed out deeply, separated himself from Sairen Iki and opened his eyes with a smile.

"That's what you'll be able to do when you have a Zanpakutō off your own," he said with a smile.

"Well, if I get a Zanpakutō that is," I replied. Takuma shook his head.

"I said 'when' for a reason, stupid," he said good-naturedly. "Now, why don't you find a position comfortable for you to hold your asauchi, and then try going into the trance like state like I told you." I nodded again before picking up the cracked asauchi.

I tried clasping it in both hands, but that didn't feel right. I tried holding it in my left hand, and then my right, but those didn't feel right either, much like when I laid it across my lap. Finally, with a huff of annoyance, I tried to stand it on it's end in front of me. And raised my eyebrows when it actually worked. I looked up at Takuma, who gave a narrow eyed shrug, before shrugging as well and closing my eyes.

Trying to empty my mind and focus my energies was not as easy as it sounded. Random thoughts kept popping into my mind, and being able to see the Spirit Orbs of everyone around me was distracting to say the least. Finally though, after what must have been ten minutes, I began to empty my mind properly. After another few minutes I had completely emptied my mind, and was focusing myself inwards. It was hard work, but I eventually managed it. And as soon as I did so I was pulled inside myself.

_Ahhh balls, _was my last thought before everything went black.

* * *

_Next Time..._

Chapter 17: Three Strikes and Your...

I blinked blearily as I awoke, somehow knowing that I had been out only a few seconds. A pleasant heat surrounded my strangely standing body, washing warmth into my bones. It seemed to be most concentrated in the area around and below me.

Shaking my head, I opened my eyes. And screamed.

"WHAT THE CRAP?!" I yelled as I looked around, because this was certainly not the room I had been in, and there was no Takuma, or anyone for that matter, in sight. What _was _in sight, however, was one of the strangest things I'd ever seen.

A kingfisher blue sky extended further than I could see, broken by a few fluffy white clouds and the sun, which was just past noon–a perfect match to the weather and time of day in Soul Society. That wasn't the strangest part though. _That _was below my feet, which at the moment were planted on a thin pole–a match to the one about ten feet opposite me–that jutted up about fifteen metres above the…_thing_ underneath me.

What seemed to be a giant tree stretched from horizon to horizon, branches as wide as I was tall jutting proudly into the sky occasionally, creating pathways across the blue. The strange part though wasn't the size of these branches, nor was it the fact that the pole I was on and the one opposite me seemed to be growing from the very centre of the behemoth of a trunk of the tree. No, the strange part was the fact that the leaves of the tree, which at this time of year (July) should have been a lush green, were actually flames of varying sizes and all of the purest white.

So I was essentially in the middle of the world's biggest bonfire.

You can see why I was scared witless.

* * *

**Me: I've decided to add in a _"Next Time" _feature so you guys can have a little glimse of what's to come :) See if you can guess where this is going to go :D**

**Renji: I already know. It's-*is gagged by his own bandanna by Byakuya***

**Byakuya: Be quiet. You will spoil the story otherwise.**

**Me: Thank you Byakuya. That almost makes up for you nearly slicing me to pieces!**

**Renji: MFFFUYAAAFFGHU!**

**Byakuya: _When _did I almost slice you to pieces?**

**Me: * terrified sweatdrop* Uh, you didn't. I was just speaking...metaphorically!**

**Byakuya: ...XD**

**Me: Don't do that face again, it's creepy.**


	17. Three Strikes And You're

**Me: *Grumbling to herself***

**Renji: What's happened _this _time?**

**Me: I still have to do art after half term in case I don't do well in my physics exam *carries on grumbling***

**Renji: Ahh, it'll be over before you know it.**

**Byakuya: We all must go through hardships in order to find peace.**

**Me: *sigh* I guess. Well, anyway, here is the next chapter for you all! I'll probably be posting the next one sometime next week, as I don' want to keep you in suspense for too long :D Now, here's the disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters from it - they belong to Tite Kubo. I only own my OC's and the things that happen to them.**

**Renji: This chapters good because-**

**Byakuya: Do not spoil it *sends glare off death in Renji's direction***

**Me: XD**

* * *

Chapter 17: Three Strikes And You're...

I blinked blearily as I awoke, somehow knowing that I had been out only a few seconds. A pleasant heat surrounded my strangely standing body, washing warmth into my bones. It seemed to be most concentrated in the area around and below me.

Shaking my head, I opened my eyes. And screamed.

"WHAT THE CRAP?!" I yelled as I looked around, because this was certainly not the room I had been in, and there was no Takuma, or anyone for that matter, in sight. What _was _in sight, however, was one of the strangest things I'd ever seen.

A kingfisher blue sky extended further than I could see, broken by a few fluffy white clouds and the sun, which was just past noon–a perfect match to the weather and time of day in Soul Society. That wasn't the strangest part though. _That _was below my feet, which at the moment were planted on a thin pole–a match to the one about ten feet opposite me–that jutted up about fifteen metres above the…_thing_ underneath me.

What seemed to be a giant tree stretched from horizon to horizon, branches as wide as I was tall jutting proudly into the sky occasionally, creating pathways across the blue. The strange part though wasn't the size of these branches, nor was it the fact that the pole I was on and the one opposite me seemed to be growing from the very centre of the behemoth of a trunk of the tree. No, the strange part was the fact that the leaves of the tree, which at this time of year (July) should have been a lush green, were actually flames of varying sizes and all of the purest white.

So I was essentially in the middle of the world's biggest bonfire.

You can see why I was scared witless.

"Oh, calm _down _will you?"came a smoky male voice that seemed to hold a thousand flames. I looked around for the owner of the voice, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Over here, moron," the male voice said, now much closer than before. Turning to where it had come from, I yelped and almost fell off of the pole I was stood on. Because on the pole opposite, where there had been nothing but flaming air a minute ago, stood a man.

He was tall, but I couldn't tell what his build was like because he was swathed in long, white robes that looked almost like a priest's version of a Shinigami's Shihakusho, apart from the fact that the hakama didn't separate between his legs like it did with the Shihakusho. A thick black sash with tattered ends that merged into the same white flames that were on the tree wrapped around his waist. Long white sleeves, much like on a traditional kimono, covered his hands, which were currently tucked inside the opposite sleeve.

A large hood with an extra fold around the neck and four black lines that started in the center of the front of his hood – just above his forehead – and ended in long, needle like points hung low over his face, so that all I could see of his features were a smirking mouth, the tip of a sculpted nose and the long ends of snowy white hair streaked through with what appeared to be living fire, but I couldn't be sure as these strands kept changing to normal and back to fire again. Two white stripes that narrowed to a point just below his high cheek bones also seemed to occasionally shimmer with fire.

His eyes were glowing white and without pupil, and when he turned they left ghostly trails behind them for a few moments.

"Wh–who are you?" I questioned. The man sighed, sending a puff of white flames into the air.

"Who do you think?" he asked in his smoky voice, but as he said this his voice changed slightly, and in it I heard an edge of ever…present…laughter.

"YOU!" I snarled, leaping from my pole and towards my inner voice, which had seemingly found it's real form. My inner voice waited until I was about to grab it before disappearing in a flash of white fire and leaving me to scramble around in the air. When I had managed to turn around and had walked back to the pole it had previously occupied, my inner voice repapered on the pole I had been stood on.

"Now now, that wasn't a very nice to greet your former inner voice, now turned Zanpakutō Spirit, was it?" the man said with a smirk.

I gaped, before leaping at him again.

"YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T MY ZANPAKUTŌ!" I bellowed, lunging at him again when he reappeared. He laughed dodging my furious attack easily. After a few more unsuccessful attacks, I huffed in annoyance and went back to my pole, stamping along over the air–I'd been getting a lot better at that skill.

When I reached my pole I turned and faced my inner voice/Zanpakutō.

"So, if you _are _my Zanpakutō, you have a name right?" I snapped at the robed man. His smirk grew wider.

"Yes, I do," the man said slyly, his glowing eyes narrowing as he grinned.

"And I presume that you won't be telling me, and that I'm going to have to fight you to learn it?"

"Yes, I won't be telling you, and no, you won't have to fight me to learn it." I looked at him questioningly, folding my arms and cocking my head to the side. My Zanpakutō smiled fully, revealing pointed white teeth.

"To learn my name, all you have to do is catch me and point this sword at my throat for five seconds without me escaping," he said before waving his hand. A simple katana appeared out of thin air above me, which I caught with a slight fumble. I made sure I had a firm grip on the plain wooden hilt before I looked up at the man.

Only to find that he had disappeared.

_What the–! _I started to think, but was interrupted when my Zanpakutō called from somewhere below me, "Oh, one more thing: when you get within one metre of me I'm allowed to strike at you. If I cut you and draw blood three times, then I won't be telling you my name today!"

_Damn, that Zanpakutō is really starting to annoy me! _I thought as I dropped from the pole and into the swirling flame–leaves below me. I landed lightly on a large branch with white flames dancing around me, and gazed out across the tree. It was a strange place under the canopy, where the flaming leaves falling onto the branches should have burnt them, but didn't. Suddenly I caught a flicker of movement that wasn't the flames over to my left. It was my Zanpakutō, and it was wearing a taunting smirk.

Scowling, I launched from the branch and sped through the air (flying like Ichigo and all other high ranked Shinigamis could was another trick I had learnt and almost mastered from Mamoru) after him. He wove between the branches like an eel, not needing to stop flying like I occasionally did.

Going towards another branch, I went to swerve under it. And found myself somehow heading straight towards it, even though I had ducked.

"OOF!" was all that came from my lips as I smashed into it, cartwheeling across its surface before falling downwards, bouncing off of others like it with equal exclamations of pain. Finally I managed to stop myself, standing up and rubbing my grazed cheek with a disgruntled expression.

"Ow! What the hell was that?" I muttered to myself, only to find myself being laughed at by my Zanpakutō Spirit, who was lazily draped over one of the branches above me.

"You should know. This _is _your inner world after all," he said with a smirk.

"Well, I don't, so if you would be kind enough to tell me, that'd be great," I snapped, clutching the plain katana tightly.

"But that would spoil the fun!" he laughed. I growled a string of curse words before launching myself up at him faster than the eye could see. I almost managed to hit him, but before I could he disappeared, and I suddenly felt a stinging pain slice my neck

.

"Tut tut, you'll have to do better than that if you want to avoid being caught by me. You're now down to two more hits before I kick you out of here," my Zanpakutō laughed, before disappearing and reappearing on another branch. I clapped a hand to my neck. It came away bloody.

_Asshole, _I thought angrily, wiping my hand on my uniform. _Just what the hell was that? I was sure I'd been about to duck under that branch, and yet I somehow managed to smash into it whilst on the trajectory that would have carried me safely underneath it…damn it this place is weird._

Huffing, I stood, and was about to leap from my branch onto another one when it disappeared from underneath me.

"UWAHHH!" I cried as I fell, only just managing to slow myself to a stop in the air before I smashed into the branch below. My Zanpakutō laughed raucously, standing in the middle of the air. Cursing even more, I yelled, "Damn it, tell me what the hell you just did!"

My Zanpakutō just shook his head and flashed away, taunting me into chasing him, which I gladly did, but with more caution than before. I guessed that I would have to be extra careful when weaving around or landing on branches now, just in case they disappeared or appeared where they hadn't been again.

Fiery leaves swirled around me as I flashed by, chasing down the white robed Spirit in an attempt to catch him. I knew I was fast at Flash Step, but he was even faster and more agile than I thought possible, dancing easily out of my reach when I actually managed to get near him.

"To~oo sloo~oow," he sang as I failed yet again to even hit him with the katana I had been given. As I tried to twist away he sent me flying with a kick to the left side. I smashed through the branches and leaves before slamming into the wide trunk of the never ending tree. Blood flew from my mouth as I bounced off of the massive trunk and landed heavily on a branch, my wrist twisting at an awkward angle before giving out underneath me.

"I'll be nice, and won't count that as I didn't actually cut you that time," my Zanpakutō Spirit said, landing silently on the branch a few feet from me.

Hauling myself up onto my elbows, I spat blood from my mouth and looked up at him.

"You're a bastard, you know that?" I hissed, carefully sitting up and cradling my sprained wrist to my chest. The katana had skidded off to my left, so I stood gingerly, mindful of my now bruised back and side, and picked it up. My Zanpakutō watched me with a slightly amused expression, his ghostly eyes never leaving me. He'd removed his hands from the opposite sleeves, and I could now see that they were normal, apart from the five strands of fire that twined one around each finger and thumb.

"I may be a bastard, but if it helps you learn then I will be a bastard until you become stronger," he said diplomatically. "In fact, I–" but there I cut him off with a swipe of my katana, having pushed myself to go faster.

With an annoyed sigh he swiped back at me, but I'd already jumped backwards.

"Better…" my Zanpakutō said, pressing a hand lightly to his cheek, from which flowed a dribble of blood. The cut was shallow, but still, I'd actually managed to hit him. He looked from the bloody smear on his hand up to me, a slow smile causing mine to disappear.

"…But not good enough!" he laughed before leaping away from me, beckoning me to follow him with a taunting crook of his finger. With a growl I followed him, my side and wrist and back throbbing in protest.

Weaving around the branches, I managed to actually keep up with my Zanpakutō. Probably due to the fact that his taunting was fuelling my anger, which in turn was making me push myself harder and harder.

_Dammit, is this guy really my Za–_but was then cut off as I felt something flicker ahead of me.

_What the–?! _I thought, but was again cut off as the branch coming up below me and reappeared _right in front of me._

But I didn't hit it, because I'd swerved upwards as soon as I'd felt the flicker.

As I smiled to myself at having avoided the branch, another flicker made itself known to me. I dodged that one, but no sooner had I done that than several more flickers occurred as the robed man passed the branches.

_Not gonna catch me out with that again! _I thought triumphantly as I wove around the disappearing and re–appearing branches without hitting them–although I had a few near misses.

Suddenly my Zanpakutō swung around and slashed his hand through the air. I flinched, but nothing happened. Sighing in relief, I carried on towards my Zanpakutō, who had now stopped mid–air. Just as I was about to hit him, however, a torrent of fiery leaves swept me aside in a tornado of white.

"ARRGGH!" I cried as I was bounced from branch to branch, the fiery white leaves swirling around me but not burning me.

Finally, after another few painful bounces that bruised my sides even more and caused a trickle of blood to trail from my mouth, I was released onto a branch by the leaves, only to suddenly be pinned down by them. The white fiery leaves, which had been lighter than air before, now became heavier than several elephants and gathered in a clump over each arm and leg, holding me down.

"God damn it WHAT THE HELL?!" I yelled, struggling against the ten tonne leaves. But to no avail.

"You really are a disappointment," came a voice from above me. A burning pain then seared down my right cheek, causing me to cry out. My Zanpakutō then appeared perched off to the side of me, what little of his face that wasn't obscured with shadows frowning.

"And I had such high hopes for you. Ah well; you still have one life left before I kick you out, I suppose," he said with a sigh, before lifting his hands. Immediately the heavy leaves lightened and lifted from me. With another lazy wave of his hands he sent them back to wherever they had come from.

I sat up slowly, my aching muscles protesting as I pulled myself backwards until I was leaning back against the large trunk behind me. I let a slow breath escape me, being mindful of my ribs, which had bruises on their bruises, I was sure.

"Aren't you going to try and gain my name?" My Zanpakutō questioned, stepping slightly nearer.

"Piss off," I growled in response, spitting a gobbet of blood from my already red lips and holding my sprained arm carefully against my chest.

"Oho, so you're giving up are you?...You know that you have to either learn my name, or get hit a third time to get out of here, right?"

I said nothing; just continued to fume silently.

"….Well, when you are ready to get hit a third time or try once again to get my name from me, I will be waiting in the center of your inner world–the place you first arrived at," the glow eyed Spirit said, before Flash Stepping away from me. As soon as he'd disappeared I let my strong act drop and began rocking backwards and forwards in pain. I had been hurt before–had even broken my arm–but having numerous cuts across my body, what felt like two cracked ribs, _and _a sprained arm, was a _lot _worse.

_Dirty bastard, _I hissed as I clutched my arm and finally stopped rocking. My back hit the trunk of the tree with a painful thump, but I didn't care. _If he's actually my Zanpakutō, then I don't really want to learn his name if that's the way he'll treat me. _Angrily I swatted at a floating fire leaf, even though it was a good few metres away.

And watched in amazement as it darted to the right, exactly the way it would have gone had I actually touched it.

Scrambling up despite the pain, I watched as the fiery leaf drift sideways. _The hell? _I questioned. _What did I just do? There wasn't even a breeze, and yet the leaf moved as if it were caught in one. And in the exact direction that I would have hit it…_I stared at the fiery leaf with wide eyes, before doing the only sensible thing that came to mind.

I tried to do it again.

Stretching out the arm that wasn't sprained, I slashed my hand to the right, trying to recreate what I had just done. But, of course, nothing happened.

I tried again, but the white fire that was a leaf just carried on drifting nonchalantly downwards.

And again, I tried. Still nothing happened.

Finally, after fruitlessly waving my hand from side to side like a mad woman, I heaved a great sigh, waved my hand one more time and then turned back towards the trunk again. I hit my head on the rough bark a few times, muttering curses about stupid hallucinations and holding my sprained wrist carefully. _Stupid stupid stupid inner world with its stupid stupid–_something fluttered against my shoulder, feeling like it was tapping me. Thinking it was my Zanpakutō/inner voice thing, I whipped around.

"Would you just LEAAAAAAHH!" I ended with a scream as I saw the cloud of white fire hovering behind me, heat radiating in gentle waves from it.

_WHAT HAVE I DONE NOW!? _ I screeched as I scrambled back from the fiery leaf cloud, my eyes widening in fright. The leaves followed me, drifting closer in a white cloud.

"No no no no!" I cried, closing my eyes and holding out my hands. I waited for the heat of the white cloud to engulf and devour me.

When nothing happened, however, I slowly opened my eyes. _No way…_I thought as I saw the cloud of leaves hovering there eagerly, almost as if they were waiting for their next command.

_Wait…wait a second! Isn't this what my Zanpakutō did when he hit me and pinned me down with the leaves?...IT IS! _I cried exultantly, before beginning to experiment with controlling the leaves.

* * *

It took a while, and added a few more burns to my tally of injuries, but I was eventually able to control the leaves with barely a hiccup at all. I had managed to discover several things whilst I had been messing around with the leaves.

First: I could control them mentally as well as by using my hands; much like Byakuya could with Senbonzakura. Indeed, I had felt exactly how I imagined Byakuya would when controlling Senbonzakura, which was pretty cool. I'd had a lot of fun playing around with making patterns in the air with the leaves, especially swirling them around in a tornado like fashion. I'd also managed to make them retrieve my katana from wherever it had fallen–it was now leaning against the trunk behind me.

Second: I could control the heat and brightness of them, and where it came from. For example, I could make one fiery leaf burn with the heat and brightness of the sun, whilst making the others burn with a cold heat and a flame that looked like it wasn't there, but was–like a mirage or a heat haze. I could think of many ways in which that could come in handy.

Third, and probably best of all: I had discovered how to make the leaves lighter than Hydrogen or heavier than a neutron star. It was a simple matter of thinking they were heavier than they were, or lighter than they were, and they would become as heavy or as light as I decreed.

Grinning, I waved my hands and sent the cloud of leaves back to where they had come from. They obligingly drifted away, hissing gently like the rest of the leaves hanging from the giant branches.

As I watched them disappear, another thought struck me: _If my inner voice can do that, and I can, does that mean I can also make branches disappear and reaper where I want them to?_

Quickly bending down, I placed a palm against a bare batch of branch and thought at it: _Disappear!_

I wasn't expecting an immediate response, and so was–to put it lightly–surprised when I found myself falling rather rapidly towards the branch below, along with my katana.

"Oh CRAP!" I screeched as I scrambled to hold onto the air and slow myself down. Just before I hit the branch, I managed to stop myself, but at the cost of bruising my bruises more. My katana carried on plunging toward the ground far, far below after bouncing off of the branch, but a quick wave of the hand solved that.

"Damn, that was close," I muttered as I lowered myself from the air and onto the branch, the white cloud of fiery leaves doing the same with my katana. When I was sure that I wasn't going to fall again, I let go of the air and waved the fiery leaves away.

_It seems as though my hunch was correct. Probably because this _is _my inner world after all, _I thought with a wry smile as I dusted myself of, mindful of my injuries. The cuts along both my cheek and neck had dried up, but were still painful. _I wonder…can I make the branch disappear and reappear somewhere else like My Zanpakutō Spirit?_

I promptly turned to an empty patch of air and thought: _Reappear! _

Nothing happened, but I wasn't surprised. I hadn't been expecting the branch to disappear first time around, and would have been extremely surprised if the branch had reappeared first try as well. So I tried again.

_Reappear! _I thought, harder this time. At first, nothing happened, which caused me slight disappointment. But then, with a slight shimmer in the air like a heat haze, the branch reappeared right where I had wanted it to.

"Oooooh, Yay!" I cried happily, skipping around despite my wounds. _This will make life sooo much easier. In fact…yes…I may _just _be able to outsmart my asshole of a Zanpakutō!_

* * *

"You want me to hit you one more time so you can get out of here?" My Zanpakutō questioned, his glowing eyes opening to stare at me. I shook my head as I jumped lightly onto the pole, landing gently because of my side. Gripping the katana tightly in both hands, I gave my Zanpakutō a determined look.

I'd discovered a couple more ways of manipulating the branches that my Zanpakutō hadn't used on me, and, combining these and the fact that I could manipulate the fiery leaves, had been able to come up with a plan to get my Zanpakutō's name from him. It was slightly risky, as my control over the branches wasn't as good as it was over the leaves, but hey, if you never try you never know, right?

"I'll be the one who'll be doing the hitting around here," I said, before launching myself at my robed, smirking Zanpakutō.

* * *

_Next time..._

Chapter 18: My Name Is...

With a hiss of sparks my Zanpakutō tried to block my plain katana with his fire woven hand, but it seemed that my newly found determination had had an effect on the strength of my attacks. The blade of the katana sliced my Zanpakutō's hand, sending a small spray of blood into the air and causing him to hiss in pain and lash out at me with his other hand.

Only to be blocked by a wall of white fire as I raised my other hand into the air, calling on my newly found powers. My Zanpakutō's eyes widened, and with a curse he span and dove into the swirling mass of white fiery leaves and behemoth branches.

_So you _can _be surprised! _I thought with a grin as I dove after him, adrenaline masking my pain for the moment. _Well, that can work to my advantage very well indeed._

* * *

**Me: I love cliffhangers. They're soooo much fun to write when you know what's coming next :D**

**Renji: They are indeed. Don't worry, I won't spoil the next chapter *waves hands in front of his face to fend of Byakuya's death glare.* All I'll say is that it will leave you either annoyed at the ending, or waiting excitedly for more.**

**Byakuya: Most likely it will be both.**

**Me: Indeed it will XD**


	18. My Name Is

**Me: As promised to rainbowrunner01, here is this weeks chapter XD Alrighty, I've decided that, since I'm nearing 100 reviews *does happy dance* it's COMPETITION TIME!**

**Renji: Which is?**

**Me: Basically, it will be this; the 100th reviewer of my story will get one of the following:**

**1) A one shot between two characters of their choosing (I'm sorry, but I woun't do yaoi or anything like that - I have nothing against it, I just don't write that sort of thing) or between a character of their choosing and one of their OC's.**

**2) One of their Oc's written into this story.**

**3) Me reading and writing a detailed review on one of their stories on here (preferably Bleach).**

**Renji: Sounds good. Want me to tell them the rules?**

**Me: Please :D**

**Renji: Ok. The RULES are as follows: 1) Don't post over and over again to try and get the 100th review. If you do, and they're both for the same chapter, then you will not get a prize.**

**2) No reviews going "Good story. Am I winner of the competition? Please tell me!" or the like. This greatly annoys Devicorn, and if you do this, she will not give you the prize and instead will give it to the next reviewer.**

**3) No trolling, or flames, or anything like that. See previous rule for what will happen should you do this.**

**4) Your reviews must be more than four words long - Devicorn needs something substantial to keep her writing between her exams. See rule No. 2 for what will happen should you do a less-than-four-word review**

**Me: Thank you muchely Renji. For all you readers out there, I wish you good luck, and will send you a PM if you're the winner so that I can find out what you want (if it's one of the first two prizes you want, I'll need extra details like what your Oc looks like, acts like, an outline of how you want the story to go etc ) And now, after this disclaimer - I don't own Bleach, just my OC's and the things that happen to them - here is the chapter! XD**

* * *

Chapter 18: My Name is...

With a hiss of sparks my Zanpakutō tried to block my plain katana with his fire woven hand, but it seemed that my newly found determination had had an effect on the strength of my attacks. The blade of the Kanata sliced my Zanpakutō's hand, sending a small spray of blood into the air and causing him to hiss in pain and lash out at me with his other hand.

Only to be blocked by a wall of white fire as I raised my other hand into the air, calling on my newly found powers. My Zanpakutō's eyes widened, and with a curse he span and dove into the swirling mass of white fiery leaves and behemoth branches.

_So you _can _be surprised! _I thought with a grin as I dove after him, adrenaline masking my pain for the moment. _Well, that can work to my advantage very well indeed._

Weaving around the branches, I zeroed in on my Zanpakutō, who was racing along ahead of me, slashing his hands this way and that as he tried to pull fiery leaves into my path. But it wasn't working out at all well for him, as it seemed as though I could counteract his control over the leaves with my own. Which was logical, considering that this _was _my world after all.

"Huh, it seems you've learnt some of the tricks this place has," my Zanpakutō huffed, before whipping around and lashing out at me again. I was ready for the brutal impact though, and all he managed to do was shift me a couple of feet to the left.

"No more of that, thank you very much," I said with a smirk, before grabbing hold of his foot and, much to his surprise, throwing him away from me. My side throbbed in protest, but I ignored it. I was _not _about to let a small crack in my ribs stop me from getting the name of my Zanpakutō!

Following after him, I gave the white robed Spirit no chance to escape.

_Time _you _went on the defensive! _I thought with a smirk, slashing this way and that as my Zanpakutō blocked and dodged, his sharp teeth bared in a grimace of concentration.

"Doesn't feel all that great to be on the back foot, now does it?" I questioned gleefully as I opened another cut on his arm.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch!" my Zanpakutō cried, his grimace changing back into a smirk. I raised an eyebrow as I blocked a jab from him, but then felt my eyes widen as his other hand came slashing towards me. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have reached me as I was in too awkward a position for it to be anywhere near me. But his hand wasn't normal anymore.

The fiery tendrils–one wrapped around each finger and another around his thumb, had _extended. _And they were heading _right for my throat! _

_Damn! _I thought in frustration as I was forced to disengage and lean back, feeling the heat of the fiery tendrils graze my neck. _That was too close!_

"Told yo~ou," my Zanpakutō sang delightedly, before spinning and racing away.

"Get BACK HERE!" I yelled as I pushed off of the air and raced after him. He was _so _not getting away. Not when I was so close to gaining his name.

"Noo~pe," my Zanpakutō sang, annoying me further. He then started to move the branches, far faster than he had done before. They flickered in and out of my vision, causing me to weave and dodge them like a mad woman doing some crazy dance.

_Where they heck did he go? _I thought angrily, only just managing to jump over a branch that appeared with almost no warning at all.

Suddenly, I saw a flicker of movement that wasn't an attacking branch or a fiery clump of leaves trying to pin me down.

_There you are! _I thought, feeling a smirk begin to tug at my lips as he raced towards me, fiery tendrils licking the air behind him. It looked as though he'd decided to forgo the "if you get within one metre I can hit you," rule and just go for me whatever distance I was from him.

Which suited me just fine.

Dodging another barrage of branches and keeping the leaves at bay, I attempted to look desperate. Which wasn't hard, considering the fact that if I was hit by one of the branches my plan would collapse.

_C'mon, you stupid Spirit, _I thought as he soared closer, _just a little bit nearer._

My Zanpakutō was smirking, and as he got even closer he began to swing his hand forward, the fiery tendrils reaching hungrily towards my apparently helplessly dancing figure.

Which was when I struck.

Concentrating on the leaves in front of me, which I'd cooled down enough so that they matched the surrounding temperature, and dulled until they were all but invisible, I forced them to burn with the light of a thousand suns.

The resulting flash as they went from nearly invisible to visible for miles around was so bright I was nearly blinded, even through my closed and hand shielded eyes. My Zanpakutō, who had been completely unaware of my hidden leaves until now, wasn't quick enough to close his eyes.

I heard him cry out in pain as the light radiated outwards with blinding intensity, and then sensed him beginning to fall as he struggled to regain his sight.

_Now for the second stage of my plan! _I thought as, with a silent command, I dulled the leaves and sent them back.

Coiling up in the air, I pushed off towards my flailing Zanpakutō Spirit. He'd managed to regain some control of his pain induced fall, but not enough to stop the next stage of my plan from working.

This was the risky part, but even if it didn't work, I had a back–up plan.

Concentrating, I called out, "Time for a taste of your own medicine!" before summoning the branches I made to disappear earlier.

It began slowly, but then got faster and faster until the air around the Spirit was just a blur of disappearing and reappearing branches.

I could hear the thumps and crashes as my Zanpakutō was thrown all different ways by the barrage of branches, not able dodging due to his lack of sight.

_And now for the final stage! _I thought with a vicious smile as I drew nearer to the floundering Zanpakutō. _Let's see how he likes being unable to move!_

With another mental command, I sent the branches back to where they had been. My Zanpakutō, beaten as badly, if not worse, than I had been, started to try and limp away, but I wasn't done yet.

Stopping in mid–air, I brought my arms behind my back before swinging them forward as a bird would its wings. Immediately a large swirl of white fiery leaves hastened to obey my call, parting around me before rushing towards my wounded Zanpakutō. He saw them coming, and tried to wave them away with one fire–tendril hand, but it didn't work. My control was too strong over them.

_Pin him! _I commanded with a lowering of my hands, and the leaves quickly obeyed, swirling around the Spirit before smashing him down onto a branch and holding him there, covering every part of him apart from his hooded, now no longer smirking face.

Jumping down from my platform in the air, I landed on top of my Zanpakutō Spirit, knelt down, and held the point of my katana to his throat.

"I win," I hissed after five seconds, withdrawing the katana from his throat and standing up. My Zanpakutō whose hood was ripped and whose face was covered in numerous small cuts, blinked in surprise before smiling.

"It seems you have," he said in his smoky voice, before suddenly standing up despite the leaves, leaving me gaping at him.

"You didn't _really _think that you'd managed to pin me, now did you?" he smirked, straightening his hood. When I said nothing – just stood there gaping at him like a fish – he chuckled and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You'll have to get a lot stronger if you _really _want to defeat me. Although I must admit, that little trick with the leaves, and with the branches, surprised me quite a bit. It seems you are worthy enough to know my name."

"So you were just playing at being injured then?" I asked with a frown, feeling a little disappointed by the fact that he had probably been playing me the entire time.

"Not entirely. I was when you stopped attacking me with the branches, and started with the leaves, but wasn't when you blinded me and first started your branch attack. That was ingenious by the way – what you did with the leaves; I'd forgotten that they could do that," he said with an appeasing smile as he squeezed my shoulder gently. I huffed in annoyance, but couldn't keep an elated smile from trying to tug my lips upwards.

"Well don't do it again; I want to _really _win next time," I replied, before staggering slightly as the adrenaline left me and the pain came back in it's place. "Ooooh, that doesn't feel so good," I groaned, holding my side where he'd kicked it. My Zanpakutō steadied me against his side, which allowed me to feel that he was of a lean, muscled build.

"I'm sorry about that – well, not all that sorry if it helped you learn, but I'm still slightly sorry if it's broken."

"It certainly feels like it–hey, where are we going!?" I finished with a yelp as my Zanpakutō suddenly started Flash Stepping, with me held at his side.

"We're going here," he replied, before setting me down on one of the poles at the center of my world. He then wandered over the air in the middle of the two poles and placed a hand smack in the center. There was a moment of complete silence, and then suddenly a wooden, circular platform grew outwards from under his hand, the edges coming to a stop when they completely covered the two poles. I quickly scooted away from the edge, towards my Zanpakutō Spirit, who had sat down and was watching me.

"So," he said in his smoky voice, the edge of ever present amusement growing in apparent satisfaction with something, "you wish to know my name?"

"Of course," I said with a smile, one that turned into a grimace as my side needled me with pain.

"Well then, Natassha," he said, smirking as he used my proper name, "my name is…"

* * *

_Next Time..._

Chapter 19: Playing Close To My Chest

"Ahh, it looks like our time is almost up," my Zanpakutō had said, gazing up at the changing sky. The sun had moved a fair bit since I had first entered the world, and as it appeared that the times of day were also linked to the outside world as well as the weather, I could safely assume that we had about ten minutes to go before the end of the lesson.

"Ok. Before I go, I want to know two things," I asked tiredly, wiping sweat from my forehead. He had worked me hard, berating me with a sharp word or slap from the flat side of his swords when I didn't quite get a manoeuvre right.

"What would those two things be?"

"First: How the heck do I get out of here?" I questioned, gesturing to the world in general. My Zanpakutō smiled.

"Easy. All you have to do is focus your energies outwards – the opposite of what you did to get here." I nodded. _It sounds simple enough._

"Alright. Now, second: will you not transform the asauchi when I get back to the real world?"

"Why not?"

"Because I want to have an ace up my sleeve."

"Sounds like a good enough reason to me," my Zanpakutō replied, surprising me. I'd thought he would argue that he wanted to show himself off to the world, as he seemed that kind of Spirit.

Standing and stretching, he flexed his fire-twined hands before saying "Just make sure you come and visit me each day – both to practice and so that I can talk to you face to face."

"I will do, don't worry," I answered with a smile, ignoring my side. My Zanpakutō yawned loudly before making a shooing motion with his hand.

"Go on, get going," he said with a smile, his glowing eyes brightening. I returned his smile before settling down on the wooden platform, closing my eyes, and focusing my energies towards the real world…

… Opening my eyes, I winced as my wounds gave a painful throb all at the same time. Wounds from a fight in your inner world always appeared in the real world; one thing I knew I was always going to find annoying. Blinking and trying to ignore the pain, I thought back to what had just happened with more than a little glee. I _had _just discovered that I, humble fan of Bleach from a different world entirely, had a Zanpakutō, and a pretty damn awesome one at that.

* * *

**Me: MUHAHAHA, ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER OF EPIC PROPORTIONS! And you won't be finding out the name of her Zanpakutō for a while yet :P**

**Renji: Remind me not to get on your bad side; you can be really evil you know?**

**Me: Life's more fun when you're evil. I bet Aizen was having the time of his life when he wasn't getting the crap beaten out of him by Ichigo :D**

**Byakuya: ...****Strange child**

**Me: How could I be anything else? XD**


	19. Playing Close To My Chest

**Me: C'MON GUYS, IF YOU WANT TO WIN THE COMPETITION THE GET REVIEWING! ONLY 9 MORE REVIEWS TO GO BEFORE SOMEONE WINS! (100th reviewer gets a prize) See the previous chapter for details on the rules. The prizes are as follows.**

**1) I review one of your (preferably Bleach) stories.**

**2) I write one of your OC's into this story (would need details of OC for this)**

**3) I write a short, one chapter one-shot between your OC and a character of your choice, or two characters from Bleach of your choice (no Yaoi or Yuri etc - I just don't write that kinda stuff. No overyl explicit, sexually themed stuff either)**

**Byakuya: ...Why are you shouting?**

**Renji: Because people aren't reviewing her story as much as she'd hoped, which makes her sad.**

**Me: Yeah, all you readers out there who are anonymously stalking and viewing my story. You guys should join FanFiction and review my story!**

**Byakuya: That is very demanding of you.**

**Me: Eh, it's what I'm best at. Now: I don't own Bleach, nor any of the characters - all that belongs to Tite Kubo. I do, however, own my Oc's and whatever happens to them, so NO STEALING! *Shakes fist at imaginary thieves***

**Renji: Now, on with the chapter!**

**Me: You're really starting to get into this, aren't you?**

**Renji: Your special kind of crazy is infectious.**

**Me: True XD**

* * *

Chapter 19: Playing Close To My Chest

"Ahh, it looks like our time is almost up," my Zanpakutō had said, gazing up at the changing sky. The sun had moved a fair bit since I had first entered the world, and as it appeared that the times of day were also linked to the outside world as well as the weather, I could safely assume that we had about ten minutes to go before the end of the lesson.

"Ok. Before I go, I want to know two things," I asked tiredly, wiping sweat from my forehead. He had worked me hard, berating me with a sharp word or slap from the flat side of his swords when I didn't quite get a manoeuvre right.

"What would those two things be?"

"First: How the heck do I get out of here?" I questioned, gesturing to the world in general. My Zanpakutō smiled.

"Easy. All you have to do is focus your energies outwards – the opposite of what you did to get here." I nodded. _It sounds simple enough._

"Alright. Now, second: will you not transform the asauchi when I get back to the real world?"

"Why not?"

"Because I want to have an ace up my sleeve."

"Sounds like a good enough reason to me," my Zanpakutō replied, surprising me. I'd thought he would argue that he wanted to show himself off to the world, as he seemed that kind of Spirit.

Standing and stretching, he flexed his fire-twined hands before saying "Just make sure you come and visit me each day – both to practice and so that I can talk to you face to face."

"I will do, don't worry," I answered with a smile, ignoring my side. My Zanpakutō yawned loudly before making a shooing motion with his hand.

"Go on, get going," he said with a smile, his glowing eyes brightening. I returned his smile before settling down on the wooden platform, closing my eyes, and focusing my energies towards the real world…

… Opening my eyes, I winced as my wounds gave a painful throb all at the same time. Wounds from a fight in your inner world always appeared in the real world; one thing I knew I was always going to find annoying. Blinking and trying to ignore the pain, I thought back to what had just happened with more than a little glee. I _had _just discovered that I, humble fan of Bleach from a different world entirely, had a Zanpakutō, and a pretty damn awesome one at that.

"You've discovered your Zanpakutō, haven't you?" came a quiet, stunned voice. I looked up, startled. Takuma was gazing at me with wide eyes, his mouth slightly agape. I could sense the same feelings of shock, and not a little awe, emanating from Sairen Iki, who was settled across his lap. Shock and awe that only increased when I nodded.

"How? How the _heck _have you managed to discover your Zanpakutō when you've only been here a week and a day?" he questioned. I sensed no jealousy in his words – only the sense of awe that was still swirling through him. I shrugged, and was about to reply when a soft white glow drew both of our attention to my asauchi, which was still standing strangely upright on it's end.

Glowing with the gentle white light that had first caught our attention, my asauchi seemed to by humming inaudibly – the light was shaking slightly. After a moment or two, the light shuddered violently in time with my asauchi.

And then my asauchi split in two. Well, that wasn't strictly true. My actual asauchi didn't split in two – it was actually the light around it splitting into two exact copies of my asauchi. They weren't solid – instead they were like ghost copies; translucent in appearance and probably feel. They drifted to the left and right, stopping when they were level with both of my knees.

As Takuma and I watched in amazement, the ghost copies hovered there for a moment, before flashing and disappearing back towards the real asauchi. When they hit it, the real asauchi wobbled and started to topple over. Quickly reaching out a hand, I caught the falling asauchi, then almost dropped it again as a white spark leapt from it and into my hand, accompanied by the voice of my Zanpakutō saying smugly, _I thought I'd better put on a little bit of a show seeing as Takuma had already guessed what had happened._

_ Well, I think he's thoroughly blown away by the amazing part you played, _I replied sarcastically, before setting my Zanpakutō/asauchi down in my lap and looking up at Takuma, who was staring at me in amazement.

He shook his head before asking, "What the hell just happened?"

"Ahhh, that's for me to know and for you to guess at," I answered mysteriously, before wincing as my wounds throbbed again. I felt blood begin to trickle down my neck as the cut re-opened. Takuma's expression instantly turned from shock to concern.

"Your Zanpakutō gave you a pretty good beating, I take it?" he questioned. Sairen Iki snorted. _Do you even need to ask that? _she sang questioningly. Takuma didn't seem to reply. Instead, he slid from his cushion, scooched over to my side and asked, "Where are you hurt worst?"

"My side," I replied, indicating my left side. There was no blood, but I knew that at least two of my ribs were cracked. Nodding, Takuma stretched out his hands.

"What are you…?" I trailed of as a soft green glow began to emanate from his palms.

"Healing the worst of your injuries," Takuma replied as he concentrated. "Luckily I happen to be one of the more competent healers in our year. I should be able to heal this for you. I'll leave some of the smaller wounds so that we have proof that you actually gained your Zanpakut-!"

"No," I cut him off, causing him to jump and stop healing. "I don't want anyone to know that I have a Zanpakutō."

"Bu-but why _not_!?" Takuma sputtered. I watched him calmly, suppressing winces of pain.

"Because I want to have an ace up my sleeve. So please, don't tell anyone what happened here, and heal all my wounds. I don't want anyone other than you, or Katsu – as it would be wrong not to tell her – to know that I have a Zanpakutō. This is also the reason that I won't be telling you his name," I finished, watching as Takuma looked at me, disbelief written over every feature.

_They probably think you're mad, _my Zanpakutō said to me. It seemed to have migrated from my stomach into the asauchi laid across my lap – the crack in its hilt seeming to have disappeared right after that strange little show my Zanpakutō had put on before slinking into the asauchi.

_Well, I do have an inner voice that has now become my Zanpakutō, and I _can _talk to everyone else's Zanpakutō when nobody else can. So yeah, I am mad._

_Fair enough, _came the laughing reply.

Sairen Iki was the first of the pair to my left to speak. _Come on, Takuma. Just heal her wounds. If she wants to have an ace up her sleeve, then let her. You never know – it could actually pay off, _she said in her ever reasonable way. Takuma sighed, shook his head, and the lifted his hands and began healing my sides once more.

"You really are a strange person. Nobody else that I know would have kept quiet about finding out the name of their Zanpakutō _this _early," he said with a smile as I felt my cracked ribs begin to knit back together.

"I'm not everybody else. I'm me," I replied with a smile. Takuma nodded in agreement, also smiling.

"That you are. Just promise me you'll definitely tell Katsu about this, as I know she'd be disappointed if she found out from me and not from you," he asked. He was always like this when around, or talking about Katsu. Always looking out for her and seeming to try and make sure that she never got hurt. This always brought a smile to my lips. _They're perfect for each other, _I thought with a smile as I nodded.

"Don't worry, I will."

"Good. Now, let's get these wounds healed before Mr Yamauchi comes in and gets us when the lesson ends."

* * *

Just as Takuma had finished healing the cut on my cheek and had sat back on his cushion, Mr Yamauchi slid back the door and said, "Alright, finish up then."

As we both nodded and stood – I picked up the asauchi and cradled it carefully – Mr Yamauchi asked, "Did you manage to achieve anything?"

Takuma and I glanced at each other, before Takuma spoke up. We had agreed upon what we were going to say to Mr Yamauchi as I was being healed.

"Taiyesha managed to achieve the trance like state that is almost Jinzen, Sir. I think that she should be able to gain her Zanpakutō within her second year." I stifled a snigger at this.

"Good, very good!" Mr Yamauchi smiled, clearly pleased. "Well, that's the end of today's lesson. I suggest you go and relax for now, but tomorrow I want you to focus on being with your asauchi all day – I've persuaded all the other teachers that you have tomorrow to let you have the day off," he added, turning my confused delight into just delight.

_Booyah! _I thought, doing a mental fist pump. _Now me, Katsu and Takuma can go visit Kūkaku and Ganju Shiba! _Katsu had been promising the both of us that we could come with her when she next went and visited her distant relations, and since we had an entire day free, I could safely assume that that would be tomorrow.

Takuma also looked happy – he'd told me that he always had Thursdays free of lessons, so he could come with us. Katsu would be _most _happy.

"Alright, off you go," Mr Yamauchi said, and Takuma and I had started walking away when he called out, "Oh, Taiyesha?"

"Yes, Sir?" I asked, turning around to look at the muscly man. He paused for a moment, before saying with a smile, "You'll want to be letting that Yu Osagawa know how well you're doing; unlike you, he didn't even manage to concentrate for two minutes." He then turned and walked away, but I could sense a smile lingering in his Spiritual Pressure.

_Double Booyah! _I thought with a smirk, before saying, "C'mon, let's not waste time in telling that evil white haired git!" to Takuma. He smiled before following me on my happy, skipping jog of victory.

Today had been a _very_good day indeed, and tomorrow looked to be shaping up to be anothergood day.

* * *

_Next Time..._

Chapter 20: Ribbons

"Hey, Renji," I answered with a smile. "What're you doing out here?"

"Two things," Renji said as he came to a stop in front of me. "One: it's my day of, so I was going to head over to The Silver Dragonfly after I'd done number two, which is to take you over to see Captain Kurotsuchi. And hello."

"Take me over to see Captain Kurotsuchi?" I asked curiously. Renji nodded, smiling.

"Yeah. You remember me saying that I'd ask Captain Kurotsuchi about what happened to you?" I nodded, understanding his hint. "Well, he asked me to bring you over as soon as I could, so that he could 'do some tests on this intriguing subject' as he put it." I felt myself grinning, and was unable to stop from doing a little jig on the spot, much to the red heads amusement.

"Alright! This should be fun!" Renji raised an eyebrow. "Ok, well not exactly fun. Good for my peace of mind is more like it. Oh, I almost forgot!" I ended as I remembered that my two friends were standing behind me. "Renji, this is Katsu, and this is Takuma; my two friends here at the Academy. Takuma, Katsu, this is Renji – but I'm sure you've heard of him."

Renji went slightly red and muttered, "Don't flatter me, they probably haven't."

"We have," Takuma smiled, before stepping forward and holding out a hand. Renji blinked, before reaching out and shaking it with a smile.

"Taiyesha here seems to think that you're a good friend of hers," Katsu butted in, much to my annoyance. I shot her a glare, to which she stuck her tongue out.

"It's true," Renji said, causing Katsu to almost bite her tongue off. I smirked before turning back to Renji.

"So, Captain Kurotsuchi wants to see me now?"

"Yep."

* * *

**Me: Bit of a filler chapter here, which was why it was pretty short. Still, it gives me time to write more exciting chapters for everyone of my dear readers out there**

**Renji: Exciting chapters?**

**Me: Yup. Like the one I'm currently writing (chapter 23). That's the one where something you've all been moaning about in the reviews will happen XD**

**Byakuya: That is a very obvious clue.**

**Me: *shruggs* eh, it keeps them coming back for more XD**


	20. Ribbons

**Me: Alright guys, the review competition that I started has now ended, and the winner is...melmel12129! I've already written the Rangiku x Toshiro oneshot that melmel12129 requested; here's the link: s/9412715/1/An-Ice-Prince-And-His-Snow-Princess.**

**Byakuya: You have paired the Lieutenant and Captain of the 10th Division together? _Why? _**

**Me: Because it was requested, so nye *sticks tongue out***

**Renji: *Sigh* you know you'll get the Captain angry if you do that.**

**Me: Wha-* is knocked out by a wild flying Yachiru***

**Renji: Told you. Now I have to do the disclaimer *sighs again* Devicorn does not own Bleach or the characters; she just owns her Oc's and the things that happen to them. *in a sarcastic voice* Thanks for making me do that Captain *is also knocked out by Yachiru.***

**Byakuya: ...ha**

* * *

Chapter 20: Ribbons

Early the next morning Katsu, Takuma and I were wandering out of the Academy's gates in the morning sunlight. I had told Katsu that I'd discovered my Zanpakutō only a few minutes ago, and had then had to clap my hand over her mouth to stop her from yelling, much to my Zanpakutō's amusement. She had been most excited for me, even when I hadn't told her his name; she kept glancing at the asauchi on my back and smiling.

It was a perfect July 10th day – comfortably warm with a gentle breeze caressing my blue fringe and waving my ponytail from side to side. I stretched, yawned, and then sent a glance over to Katsu and Takuma. They were talking quietly, heads bent together. I smiled.

_I dare you to jump in there and make things awkward, _my Zanpakutō said, the ever present laughter in his smoky voice becoming more noticeable. He had two sides; a fun loving side that just loved to do stupid, strange, but nonetheless entertaining things. His other side was the serious, down to business, no nonsense side that would push me to do my best, and would berate me when it thought I wasn't.

At the moment, he seemed to be indulging his fun loving side at the moment.

_No. I will do no such thing, _I replied back with a smile. My Zanpakutō, whose asauchi form I carried slung over my back in a makeshift sheath with the hilt poking up over my right shoulder – it felt more comfortable than having him hung at my hip, like Katsu had her asauchi – , sighed before peering out through my eyes at the world. I still didn't know how he did that.

We were starting towards East Rukongai, heading towards where Katsu assured Takuma and I that Kūkaku was presently residing. Apparently, she sent a little message to Katsu every time she moved, and the letter this time had said that she was somewhere out in the forest, between a "rock and a hard place," apparently.

I smiled to myself again, eager to meet Kūkaku and Ganju. I had been highly amused by their antics in the anime and manga, especially Ganjus. In fact, I-

"Hey, Taiyesha!" called a familiar voice from the left. Turning towards the sound of the voice, I smiled in greeting as Renji waved to me. I'd not noticed his Spiritual Pressure until just a moment ago. Zabimaru called out a welcoming, _Hello, Taiyesha, _which I returned with a smile.

Katsu immediately stalked to my side and whispered, "Ooooh, look who it is." I elbowed her in the side, giving her a stern look before stepping forward.

"Hey, Renji," I answered with a smile. "What're you doing out here?"

"Two things," Renji said as he came to a stop in front of me. "One: it's my day of, so I was going to head over to The Silver Dragonfly after I'd done number two, which is to take you over to see Captain Kurotsuchi. And hello."

"Take me over to see Captain Kurotsuchi?" I asked curiously. Renji nodded, smiling.

"Yeah. You remember me saying that I'd ask Captain Kurotsuchi about what happened to you?" I nodded, understanding his hint. "Well, he asked me to bring you over as soon as I could, so that he could 'do some tests on this intriguing subject' as he put it." I felt myself grinning, and was unable to stop from doing a little jig on the spot, much to the red heads amusement.

"Alright! This should be fun!" Renji raised an eyebrow. "Ok, well not exactly fun. Good for my peace of mind is more like it. Oh, I almost forgot!" I ended as I remembered that my two friends were standing behind me. "Renji, this is Katsu, and this is Takuma; my two friends here at the Academy. Takuma, Katsu, this is Renji – but I'm sure you've heard of him."

Renji went slightly red and muttered, "Don't flatter me, they probably haven't."

"We have," Takuma smiled, before stepping forward and holding out a hand. Renji blinked, before reaching out and shaking it with a smile.

"Taiyesha here seems to think that you're a good friend of hers," Katsu butted in, much to my annoyance. I shot her a glare, to which she stuck her tongue out.

"It's true," Renji said, causing Katsu to almost bite her tongue off. I smirked before turning back to Renji.

"So, Captain Kurotsuchi wants to see me now?"

"Yep."

_That _was _what he said, muppet,_ my Zanpakutō said with a snort. I was about to reply when Zabimaru suddenly asked, _Who was that? _

Instantly my Zanpakutō seemed to retreat inside me, curling up in a ball.

_ Who was what? _I asked, before turning my attention back to Renji, ignoring Zabimaru's confused questions. The red head was frowning minutely, but stopped when I said, "Well, Katsu, Takuma and I _were _heading out to see Kūkaku, but I'm sure they could go on ahead, and I could catch up later?" I asked, turning to Takuma and Katsu.

"That should be alright, apart from the fact that you have no idea where Kūkaku is living at the moment." Katsu replied with a smile. I grinned back.

"I'll find you, don't worry," I replied, before a sudden thought struck me; one that made me almost dance on the spot.

"Hey, Renji; you want to come and see Kūkaku and Ganju with us after we've gone to see Captain Kurotsuchi?" I asked, looking up at the tall red head. Renji started.

"You want me to come along with you?" he asked in surprise.

"Only if it's ok with Katsu," I said, turning to look at Katsu with pleading eyes. My Zanpakutō was still curled up on itself, but I felt it snort. Katsu smirked slightly.

"Yeah, that's fine," she answered, before turning to look at Renji with a stern gaze. "Just make sure that weird Captain doesn't start dissecting her, or you'll be the one paying for it." I swear Renji gulped before answering.

"Don't worry; she'll come back whole."

"Good. Well, see you two in a bit then," Katsu said with a nod, before turning and heading away. Takuma nodded to Renji, smiled to me, and then also turned, catching up with Katsu and whispering something that made her laugh.

I shook my head at the two of them before looking back at Renji and saying, "Well, Pineapple, lead the way!"

"I'm not a pineapple," Renji said, but his annoyance was only half-hearted, as was the swat he gave me on my arm. I shoved him back, and then dodged out of the way of his next attack. _It's as if we've always been friends, _I thought as we settled into a comfortable conversation.

As we talked and walked, we got a few strange looks; the pair of us – the Academy student and the Lieutenant of 6th Division – must have been quite a strange sight, but we didn't really notice them.

"So, how's life at the Academy then Shorty?" Renji asked as we walked in what I presumed was the direction of 12th Division. I grumbled a bit at the name he called me, but I didn't really mind.

"Eh, it's alright. I'm really, really bad at Kidō; like you were when you were in the Academy, only much worse" I said with a laugh, causing Renji to blush.

"I'm better than I was," Renji said sheepishly, tugging on his ponytail.

"I know, Renji, I know. And if you got better, then that gives me a little bit of hope, although, really, I'm absolutely horrific at Kidō," I said, before moving on.

"Anyway; I'm pretty good at Hakuda, although Katsu's the best at that. I'm also good at Zanjutsu, though me and Yu are fighting it out for the top spot in that one. Stupid Yu." I scowled as my thoughts turned to Yu, but then brightened.

"I am, however, top in Hohō. I've pretty much mastered Shunpo – I can keep up with 10th seat Mamoru of 2nd Division – and I can also do this," at this point I gathered Spirit Particles underneath my feet and stepped into the air, rising until I was Renji's height, "pretty well as well." Renji watched me with a smile.

"Seems like you're having fun then," he said, reaching up to try and pat me on the head. I quickly dropped back to the ground, causing him to miss me completely.

"Ha, sucker," I smirked, sticking my tongue out at him. Renji shook his head, and then spoke up. A crafty look crept onto his face.

"You said you've pretty much mastered Shunpo, and can keep up with a seated member of 2nd Division, right?" I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but nodded anyway. It would be fun.

"Since I'm pretty damn good at Shunpo myself, how's about we have a race to see who's faster, eh?" Renji asked, raising an eyebrow, as if daring me to refuse. I grinned back.

"Sounds good to me. We're racing to 12th Division right?"

"Yup. Just head towards Captain Kurotsuchi Spiritual Pressure – you _can _detect that, right?" Renji asked sarcastically, lifting a tattooed eyebrow at me. I punched him in the shoulder.

"'Course I can!" I answered indignantly, but stretched out my Spiritual Sense all the same. I sensed Renji next to me, some Shinigami's roving around, and, far over to the West, a malevolent, bright orb that whizzed with intelligence. _Aha! There you are! _I thought triumphantly, before turning my attention back to Renji.

"Shall we say first one to the front of 12th Division wins?" I asked. Renji nodded. "What do I get when I win?" he asked cheekily. I rolled my eyes.

"When _either of us _wins," I corrected, "we get to choose what the other'll do as a forfeit."

"Fine. Just don't moan about it when I win."

_Cheeky sod, _I thought, though I couldn't stop myself from smiling. My Zanpakutō, who'd uncurled itself slightly, whispered, _Make sure you win! I have a whole _bunch _of ideas of what we could make him do!_

Zabimaru, who'd been quiet for a while, suddenly said, _make sure you win. It'll knock some of the cockiness right out of him._ Zabimaru seemed to have decided not to let Renji be privy to this little statement, as he said nothing at this statement.

_Don't worry, I will, _I replied with an inward smile.

"Well, since we're going to have a race, we need someone to start it for us," Renji said, stretching his muscled arms above his head.

_How about that man over there? _My Zanpakutō suggested, still being cautious in case Zabimaru heard him again. I looked to where my Zanpakutō indicated, and saw a Shinigami walking away from us.

"How 'bout that guy?" I asked Renji, nodding towards the Shinigami. Renji nodded before jogging over to the man and saying, "'Scuse me? Would you be able to start a race between me and my friend over there?" whilst catching the man's shoulder. I waved at the startled man who blinked a couple of times.

"You want me to start…a race, Lieutenant?"

"Yeah. All you need to do is count down from three and then say go," Renji grinned, and the man seemed to relax at the sight of the Lieutenants smile. He nodded.

"Alright," he said, and Renji grinned wider before returning to my side.

"Ready to lose, Shorty?" he questioned quietly as the man made his way over to us.

"Heh. Don't go crying to Byakuya when you get your ass whooped, Pineapple," I replied, elbowing him in the ribs.

_Don't get too cocky; he _is _an expert at Shunpo after all, and has probably been taught by Byakuya, _my Zanpakutō warned. I heard Zabimaru giving a similar warning to Renji and grinned.

_ Don't worry; I won't be taking him lightly after what I've seen in the programs, _I replied, and felt my Zanpakutō nod in approval.

_Good._

"Okay, are you ready?" the Shinigami asked. Renji and I stepped level with each other, settling into a slightly forward position.

"Three."

_Tell Renji that I'm sorry in advance that he's going to lose._

"Two."

_Renji says that you shouldn't apologize for something that'll never happen._

"One."

_Won't happen my ass._

"GO!"

As soon as these words left the man's lips we were off, leaving only the whistle of Flash Step behind us. Straight away I saw that this was going to be harder than I'd thought. As we raced down the straight street, barely coming out of Flash Step, Renji and I were even; matching Flash Step for Flash Step. Though my shorter stature meant I had less weight to haul around, and so could go faster, Renji's longer stride allowed him to keep pace with me and to push me even faster.

The wall at the end of the street was fast approaching, as was the left turn near it, but Mayuri's Spiritual Pressure was to the right.

_Over the wall it is, then, _I thought, my feet barely touching the ground. Renji followed close by my side; almost close enough to touch. _Push him over! _my Zanpakutō suggested loudly, and as it did so I felt a darkness flash from it before retreating.

_No, _I replied, not stopping to think of what the darkness had been all about. I had bigger problems to think about right now. Like the fact that Renji was slowly beginning to pull ahead of me, and the wall that was fast approaching.

_Drastic times call for drastic measures! _I thought with a determined grin before, with a coiling of my legs as I came out of Shunpo, I launched myself into the air a good twenty feet before the wall. It was way too early, but if I'd calculated right I would be able to go flying for a bit before landing on the roof on the other side of the wall. Which would, hopefully, get me ahead of Renji.

And, thankfully, I had. My feet hit the golden tiles with a thunk, and as soon as the did I was off again, Flash Stepping along the tiles faster than the eye could see.

I could hear Renji hit the tiles behind, and as soon as he did he started to gain on me. _Damn it, _I thought. _Stupid long legs!_

_C'mon, you call this Flash Step? _my Zanpakutō laughed as I bounded over a gap. _Even my grandmother can run faster than this!_

_You don't even have a grandmother, _I growled, Flash Stepping even faster at this remark. A strange howling set up in my head, almost too low to hear, but I ignored it.

_Well, if I did, she'd run ten times faster than this pathetic pace you're setting!_

_Shut up, _I snapped, my legs blurring faster and faster with each Flash Step.

_I will, if you manage to go any slower. Which, since nobody can go slower than this snail's pace, won't be happening. I-_

_SHUT UP! I shouted. I can go faster than this easily! In fact I….seem to be doing so right now? _I asked in a baffled fashion. It was true; the Seireitei was blurring all around me, and Renji's Spiritual Pressure was now waaaaay behind me.

_Insulting you always seems to bring out the best in you, in terms of your skills that is, _my Zanpakutō chuckled as I hurtled along at an astonishing pace. Mayuri's Spiritual Pressure was drawing closer and closer to me.

_I suppose it does, _I said in a bemused fashion as my feet barely touched the roof tops. I let my arms trail behind me, smiling as I ran. _I don't think Renji will be catching me any time soon._

Renji watched in amazement as Taiyesha's Spiritual Pressure disappeared from sight. _The hell? One minute she was right beside me and about to lose, the next she's off into the distance like some Hollow after fresh Souls._

_Did you hear and feel it? _Zabimaru asked, and Renji was surprised to hear both of the voices sounding more than a little frightened.

_Hear and feel what? _he questioned as he Shunpoed on.

_When she was losing to you, another voice started up, insulting her. That wasn't the only thing I heard though._

_What else did you hear? _Zabimaru was quiet for a moment, seeming to try and think upon what it had heard and to come up with a logical explanation for it.

_When the voice insulted her, a low howling started up in her Spiritual Pressure, and a presence flitted across it. It felt…_

_Yes? _Renji prompted, curious.

_It felt familiar to me. Almost as if I had felt it before, a long long time ago. But it wasn't a presence that felt or sounded welcoming. It almost felt…angry. And the howling…it was the sound of something prehistoric, something primal. Something…evil._

_What in the world was it, d'you think? _

_I don't know. And I don't want to, _both of the voices said in unison before going quiet. Renji felt his Zanpakutō shudder, and knew that, whatever it was that they had heard and felt, it was enough to scare them. And that scared him.

After a few more seconds of Flash Stepping over roof top after roof top, and almost knocking over Lieutenant Kira when I'd Stepped down to the ground and landed almost on top of him, I spotted a large, sprawling building fronted by a pair of brown wooden gates, which were currently open.

_Aha! There're the doors! Renji, you are about to lose epically! _I thought with triumph. My Zanpakutō snorted, but I could sense that it was proud.

With a gentle scuff I landed in front of the giant doors. My breathing was faster than normal, and my legs and arms were shaking slightly from the exertion, but I felt elated. I'd actually managed to beat Renji at something!

_Boy, if Kate were here she'd be screaming at the top of her fangirl lungs, _I thought amusedly before a slight pang of homesickness hit me at the thought of Kate. But, strangely, it wasn't as large a pang as I'd expected. It seemed that I was starting to accept the fact that I was stuck here for the foreseeable future. My Zanpakutō nodded slightly as I thought this.

As I contemplated this new development, I felt Renji's Spiritual Pressure not too far away. A moment later, he appeared at my side, slightly breathless as bent over slightly to catch his breath, but when he straightened and looked up at me it wasn't with a look of complete shock and annoyance that I had expected. Instead, it was one of wariness. His tattooed eyebrows were drawn together, and his lips were pulled down into a slight frown. There was a faraway look in his eyes.

"Uhh, Renji? Is everything alright?" I asked with concern. As soon as I spoke Renji blinked before pulling a forced smile onto his lips.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Well, apart from the fact that you beat me."

Not convinced, I stared at him for a few moments longer.

_He's lying, _my Zanpakutō said so quietly that I almost missed what he said. I was about to question how he knew that when he spoke again. _I won't speak to you until we're out of here, as Mayuri's Zanpakutō is even more likely to hear me than Zabimaru is. _I gave a mental nod before turning my attention back to Renji, who was still smiling in that forced way. Shrugging, I decided to let the matter drop, for now at least.

"By miles," I smirked, and Renji's smile took on a hint of relief.

"Che, it wasn't. It was only by a hundred meters or so."

"It was way more than that, you sore loser. Now, since I won, I'm allowed to decide what I want you to do as a forfeit…hmmm," I mused, eyeing Renji as if he were a test subject. He swallowed.

_Ahh, how about that!? _I thought with glee. I was about to ask my Zanpakutō when I remembered that he wasn't going to speak to me until we were out of Mayuri's presence. I frowned for a moment, before deciding on just showing it my idea. I sensed nothing from it for a moment, and then an eddy of agreement swirled into my mind.

_I'll take that as a yes then, _I grinned before turning my attention back to Renji, who was still watching me apprehensively.

"I've decided. What I want you to do for a forfeit is to help me out in pranking anyone and everyone next April Fool's day, no matter who they are."

"Pranking anyone and everyone? Even people like Kenpachi?!" Renji exclaimed. I grinned wider and nodded, causing Renji to sputter out half formed reasons as to why he wouldn't. I wagged a finger at him, smug as could be.

"Ah ah ah. I won, fair and square, and we both agreed that the loser had to do whatever the winner asked of them as a forfeit."

"But…Kenpachi!?" Renji said with despair.

"Yup. Now, c'mon! Let's go find Mayuri and get this over with," I ended before starting through the large brown gates. Renji huffed before following me. He seemed to have gotten over whatever had come over him earlier, but his Spiritual Pressure still had a slightly worried tinge to it.

"Right this way, please. Master Mayuri is waiting for you," said the neutral voice of Nemu Kurotsuchi as she walked in front of Renji and I. He black braided hair bounced slightly with every step as she headed to a large metal door.

Despite the fact that I had told myself that this wouldn't be such a big deal, I found myself stepping closer to Renji and hiding behind him, clasping his arm with my hands.

"Scared?" he asked with a slight smirk.

"Anyone sane would be if they were being brought down here," I snapped back with a shaky voice, before realizing what I'd done and apologising. Renji grinned down at me.

"Don't worry; I promised your friend I'd bring you back whole, and I'm gonna keep that promise." I nodded, feeling slightly reassured. Nemu, who seemed to have ignored this little exchange, stepped up to the door and knocked twice. A high, hissing voice that I knew so well from the anime called out an impatient, "Come in, come in!" I shuddered, before letting go off Renji, taking a deep breath and following Nemu and Renji into Mayuri's lair.

The first thing that hit me was the smell. It was a strange, unpleasant mix of all sorts of chemicals that caused me to wrinkle my nose and my eyes to water. I noticed it was having a similar effect on Renji.

The second thing I noticed was all of the equipment lighting up the otherwise dark room. Tall glass tubes swirled with luminescent fluid here and there. Arrays of computers and machines lit up everything with a white glow. Strange, curving pipes occasionally filled with liquid of questionably origin. A large metal thing that looked suspiciously like a dissecting table sat in the far corner of the room, glinting evilly in the reflected light. Everything that a mad scientist like Mayuri could possibly want or need.

The third and final thing that I noticed was Mayuri. Sitting in a large chair, he still cut a scary figure. The large golden headdress thing that he wore framed a black painted face split with several thin white lines and a white painted nose, and underneath his chin two strands of the headdress curled in opposite directions, somewhat reminding me of a pharaohs mask, though not as much as the get up before this one had.

Gold eyes with small pupils eyed Renji and I as if we were prime meat cuttings, and Mayuri's constantly bared gold teeth flashed as his mad smile widened.

"Ahh, Lieutenant Abarai. I trust you brought me my new test subject?" he said in his hissing voice, and I shuddered again as his eyes came to rest upon me. Not waiting for Renji, the Captain of Squad Twelve stood and made his way swiftly over to me. I eyed the middle finger of his right hand with apprehension, as this was the one where the blue nail on it was as long as the finger itself.

"A good specimen; Healthy, in reasonably good condition, although it has a scar here," Mayuri poked my left arm as he said this, causing me to jump and Renji to flush slightly as he remembered that he'd given that to me.

"I'm a she, not an it," I muttered daringly. Mayuri straightened for a moment, looking down at me with a mad glint in his eye that caused me to shrink back.

"And it appears to have a nice amount of Spiritual Pressure as well. Wonderful!" Mayuri grinned maniacally, ignoring my comment. _Damn, this guy really is crazy, _I thought as he made his way over to a computer and typed a few things in before walking back over to us.

I repressed a shudder and slid closer to Renji as he stopped right in front of me.

"Now, what shall I do first? See how much I can modify you? Dissect you and then sew you back up? See how resistant you are to my Ashisogi Jizō's poison?

_Ahh? Squea? Asqu? _came several strange squeaking sounds. I blinked in confusion, before realizing that it must be the aforementioned Zanpakutō.

_Strange thing, _I thought before interrupting Mayuri's delighted thinking-out-loud by saying, "Umm, I thought we were just going to try and find out how I came to be in this universe?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yes, I suppose we were. Still…I would like to experiment on you, as you are a fairly intriguing Ryoka. Would you consider being my newest test subject? You would be able to keep all of your limbs – mainly intact – and I could make you a _much _better version of yourself. I would also downgrade the amount of invasive surgery from three times a day to only twice a day!"

"No…thanks," I said with a scared smile. Mayuri looked unhappy, but sighed and turned from me. I breathed again.

"Well, in that case, I'll need you to sit down on that metal table over there so I can take a sample of blood from you and run a few quick tests on it." I nodded, and Renji and I moved over to the table, sitting down so that I could swing my legs back and forth.

"Nemu, get syringe number five. Quickly, you stupid girl!" Mayuri exclaimed when Nemu was too slow.

"And I thought _I _was impatient," I commented quietly to Renji, who snorted.

"Now, sit still and don't flinch. We don't want any…unfortunate accidents to happen," Mayuri commented as he was handed the syringe by Nemu. I gulped, because that was one _big _needle – its point looked at least two millimetres wide and gleamed wickedly.

I reached out and grabbed Renji's hand as Mayuri neared me, because I did _not _like needles. They were one of my main fears, due to a bad experience when I was small. I felt my Zanpakutō snicker and knew that it was probably thinking something along the lines of, _Well, how are you going to deal with being stuck with a sharp sword, as you inevitably will?_

Renji said nothing, but I felt him squeeze my hand reassuringly as Mayuri stopped by my left side. "Arm please," he demanded, and I obliged, trying not to let my fear show as I lifted my arm. Mayuri took my arm by the elbow in one of his hands, and I fought a shiver as his skin was cold.

"Nemu, come here and make sure that she doesn't move."

"Yes, Master Mayuri," came Nemus reply as she walked over and grasped my hand and forearm in her surprisingly iron grip.

_If only Kate could see me now, _I thought wryly as Mayuri eyed my arm to find the best place to take a sample of my blood from. _Holding hands with Renji Abarai and getting blood taken from me by Mayuri K-OW! _I ended as Mayuri plunged the overlarge needle into the crook of my elbow. I bit my lip and squeezed Renji's hand tightly as I fought not to whimper. It hurt, a _lot, _but it was the fact that I had a metal spike inside my veins, sucking out my blood, that made me want to cry. I hated it.

Baring his teeth even more, Mayuri watched in satisfaction as he pulled bright red liquid from my vein and into the syringe. I fought not to retch and instead focused my attention on Renji. He caught my fighting-not-to-cry gaze and smiled encouragingly down at me. I gave him a shaky smile back – one that turned into a grimace as Mayuri withdrew the syringe.

"Lovely. Nemu, did you prepare the machine?" Mayuri asked as he wandered off, his artificial daughter following behind him. I slowly let out a breath, and let go of Renji's hand – afraid I'd crushed it. Turning my head, I looked down at the small wound in my elbow, which was trickling blood. I didn't mind the sight of blood, but it was annoying to have it starting to trail down my arm towards my uniform.

"Here," came Renji's voice as he stepped from my right side towards my left. He fished around in his Shihakusho for a moment before, with a smile of victory, pulling out a piece of white cloth about the width of my palm and just shy of a foot long. I gave him a questioning glance, to which he replied, "A spare bandanna in case this one gets ripped or damaged."

"Ahh, okay," I replied, understanding. Renji then gestured for me to raise my arm.

"Wait, you're not going to bandage my arm with that are you?" When Renji nodded and began looping it around my arm, I began to protest.

"But what about you having a spare bandanna?" I asked, trying not to blush as his fingers brushed my skin.

"I have more," Renji commented with a smile as he tied a knot under my elbow to make sure the makeshift stayed in place. I stared at it for a moment before turning my gaze to Renji.

"Thank you," I said softly.

"Any time," he smiled, his browny-red eyes softening.

"If you two could come here, I will show you the results," called Mayuri from behind his desk. I hopped from the table and followed Renji over to where Mayuri was sat, his fingers pressing buttons here and there. I noticed that the syringe full of my blood was stuck, needle first, into a small hole in the side of Mayuri's computer, and that it was now only half full.

A long blue nail traced over a graph with several spikes on it before returning to rest back in its owners lap.

"It appears, from my initial analysis, that you came through the barrier around the Seireitei at the top most point, and that you came through something akin to a Garganta. And the thing that brought you here was not anything that I can identify in my database."

"Can you find a way to send me back?"

"…It pains me greatly to admit it, but I highly doubt that I can, as I cannot find the dimension that you came from," Mayuri said, his lips pulling down in a frown that made his bared teeth look even creepier.

I had prepared myself to hear this answer, but it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt my lips pull downwards and my eyes begin to prickle slightly, but strangely I didn't feel _as _upset as I'd expected myself to. It was actually fairly easy to fight away the tears.

"Ok. Thank you for trying, Captain Kurotsuchi sir," I sighed, hitching a smile on to my lips.

"I think I will continue to try and pinpoint the place that you say you came from, as it sounds most intriguing," Mayuri stated, and I nodded, dipping my head towards him and Nemu. Nemu gave me a small smile, which I returned.

"C'mon then, let's go see our friend," I said to Renji, who nodded before following me from the room.

"You alright?" he asked as we left 12th Division and walked into the bright morning sunlight. I took a deep breath and gave him a genuine smile.

"Yeah, I actually am. I think I'm starting to get used to being in this world," I said, gesturing to the place in general. Renji watched me for a second before smiling and lifting a hand to my shoulder.

"Good," he said, giving my shoulder a squeeze before letting his hand drop. "Now, how exactly do you plan on finding Kūkaku and the others?"

"Dunno. I think I'll just try and locate their Spiritual Pressures and go from there," I shrugged before closing my eyes.

_Now, where are you, I wonder? _I questioned as I allowed my Spiritual Sense to expand, allowing me to see the Spiritual Pressures of everyone around me in the form of the familiar bright orbs.

_So many, _I breathed as my senses continued to expand, showing the Seireitei and Rukongai districts filled with millions of Souls. _How the heck am I going to find two Souls in amongst this?_

Sighing, I began to concentrate on the Souls around me, searching for any hint of Takuma's and Katsu's familiar Spiritual Pressure. I knew Kūkaku wouldn't be anywhere near civilization, so I immediately discounted the nearest Souls.

_Ugh, this is harder than I thought, _I moaned, concentrating even harder. My Zanpakutō seemed as though he was about to say something, probably snarky, but then decided against it when I hissed at him. I heard Renji gasp at something, but ignored him.

_Come on, give me a break, please? _I asked whatever being was worshipped here, praying that they heard me, because I was having a _really _tough time of it.

And then, as if something had actually heard my prayer, everything suddenly became _much _clearer. I knew exactly where Katsu and Takuma were, and I could almost visualize a path that would lead me through the Seireitei and the Rukongai towards them. _I wonder what just – hey, what was that? _I questioned as I felt two somethings fold into my hand.

_Open your eyes and find out, _my Zanpakutō said with a hint of smugness in his still quiet voice.

Following his instructions, I opened my eyes…and found myself surrounded by fluttering red and white ribbons, all emanating from unseen sources apart from two. One – a completely red one – was attached to a place above Renji's heart; swirling past his saucer wide eyes and gaping mouth. The other – a white ribbon with more red streaks in it than the few other partially red, partially white ribbons around me – was fluttering from a point just above my heart. My eyes went wide.

"No way," I murmured in awe, just as Renji spoke up.

"Reiraku…this is Reiraku," he whispered, his eyes tracing the ribbon fluttering from his heart.

_Holy crap! _I thought. My Zanpakutō smirked, but said nothing, retreating into my inner world.

"How – how the heck did you manage that?" Renji questioned with still wide eyes. I gazed up at him, shrugging.

"I have no clue," I answered honestly, confused as to how I'd managed to achieve this high level technique. Renji stared up at the fluttering ribbons for a moment longer before shaking his head and smiling.

"Well, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so how's about you follow those two ribbons you have there and find your friends," he said, gesturing towards the two white and red ribbons that I only just noticed I had clasped in my left hand.

"O…K," I commented slowly, following the lines of the two ribbons until I could no longer see them. Closing my eyes, I filed away my amazement for later.

"Let's get going then!" I cried as I opened my eyes and grabbed a surprised Renji's hand before Flash Stepping away towards the source of the two ribbons.

With a whistle the girl and the Lieutenant Flash Stepped away, disappearing from the camera's view. After a second, the other ribbons from the girls Reiraku disappeared as well.

Sitting back in his chair, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division stared at the now empty screen, resting his chin on one white fist. His gold eyes were narrowed towards the empty street, and his teeth were bared in a slight frown.

"Hmmm," he muttered. Nemu, sensing her master was troubled by something, asked, "What is it Master Mayuri?"

"That girl who just came in here – she is a strange subject," he started, reaching forward and pulling the half full syringe of the girls blood from the side of his computer. "She is not from this world, and appears to have never experienced Spiritual Pressure before coming here, and yet she already has a considerably sized Spiritual Pressure of her own and can perform Shunpo almost as well as that annoying Byakuya Kuchiki. And she has just performed Reiraku, a technique that only high level Shinigami are supposed to be able to perform…" he trailed of, gazing at nothing.

"Nemu, come here," he said suddenly after a moment of silence. Nemu did as she was bid.

"You see this graph here?"

"Yes."

"And do you see anything strange about it?" Mayuri questioned. Nemu looked at the graph for a moment before saying, "There is no peak here," as she pointed to a particular spot, "but there is one here," as she moved her finger to another place.

"Exactly! There is no trace of a peak here where there should be a substantial one, but there is a noticeable peak where there should never have been one," Mayuri exclaimed, excitement lacing his voice. He pulled his finger from the graph and again clasped the blood filled syringe in both hands. "Interesting," he commented as he span the syringe slowly and watched the red liquid slosh about inside. "How very interesting indeed…"

* * *

_Next time..._

Chapter 21: The Shiba Clan

"Whoa, this is soooooo cooool!" I breathed in awe as I stared up at the two figures either side of what I could now safely guess was Kūkaku's house. How? Well, let's just say that the giant stone effigies of Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko balancing on one foot as they held up a blue and red banner that read "Shiba Kūkaku" in bold black Kanji. A large chimney like structure, which I knew full well to be the infamous Kakaku Hō – better known as the Flower Crane Cannon – pierced the sky behind it. It was wedged between the side of a rocky outcrop and a large boulder. A real rock and a hard place.

_ I've never really noticed it before, but now that I think about it, how the heck can I understand everyone and all the writing if it's all in Japanese?_

_It's because your brain was converted to be able to understand Japanese when you came through the portal to get here, _my Zanpakutō commented mysteriously. I was about to ask how the heck it knew that, but was prevented from doing so when Renji spoke up.

"Are we going in, or are we just going to stand here with you gaping like an idiot?"

* * *

**Me: *groggily* Ugh...oww, my head.**

**Renji: I know the feeling *gingerly touches lump on head***

**Me:...ugh, sorry about that guys, not my fault that Yachiru is like a ballistic missle. Anyway...I thought I'd let you know that I've changed the way I seperate parts of the chapter from a line to that weird squiggly line thing that you've probably noticed. Also, I've written chapter 23 XD**

**Renji: Ahh, the famous Z-*is silenced by me pinning him and covering his mouth***

**Me: Bad Renji. Bad!...anyway, again, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and keep reviewing. There will be another review competition for the 200th review, and so on from there.**

**Renji: Gefff orrrgh**

**Me: No, you're right where I want you *grin.s***

**Renji: *blushes* nnuuu hrreere!**

**Me: XD**


	21. The Shiba Clan

**Me: *Grumbling to herself whilst glaring angrily at a piece of paper***

**Renji: What's up?**

**Me:... This *holds up piece of paper for Renji to see before tearing it away again.* This goddamn anonymous reviewer who posted THIS!:**

**"Of course.. Another Mary Sue who unexpectedly gets thrown into the world of Bleach, and is so special- not to mention, the key to saving everything and everyone, and so impressive yet so normal, that she wins the heart of her dream guy. I'm sorry but I just can't read OCs without picturing the writer so lost in her fantasy self that she's rubbing one out by her computer while typing this supposed OC.**

**No one is capable of imagining themselves as the character because the author has written their OC as themself, and so all we readers are able to see is said writer- not a Bleach character we relate to and or like and not ourselves because the personality is so much like the writers' aka OC and not like our own no matter how much said author says otherwise. And yes, we are not the Bleach characters but clearly we pick to read about and or as them because we relate to and like them, but we have no comparison and no relations or other references for OCs but the author themself, and it's just bad writing to show your own biased-ness in your stories and through your characters. You have to become your characters not the other way around. So, you may be enjoying living out your fantasy life through your OC but you're not us and we are not your character. Write something most everyone can be absorbed into."**

**Renji: The hell?!**

**Byakuya: Who wrote this?**

**Me: I don't know *fuming*. It was an anonymous reviewer. But, let me tell all you anonymous readers out there who are thinking along the lines of this review whilst reading this story; I will _not _tolerate anything like this. It's just horrible to come into your review section and find this there. How would you like it if this happened on one of _your _stories, eh? You wouldn't, so don't do it to other people just to make them feel bad about writing something they like. If you don't like my story, then _why the hell are you reading it?!_ If I find any more reviews like this, I will report you for abuse, no questions asked. I will then find out who you are and what hobbies you do, and will then criticize you mercilessly on them even if you are the best player in the world. _Do I make myself clear? _**

**Renji:...uh, Devicorn?**

**Me: What? *sees smoke and flames rising from the ground around her* ahh, now they've gone and done it. Now I won't be able to calm down for a while *pulls angry face and stalks of***

**Renji: She scares me greatly.**

**Byakuya: Agreed.**

* * *

Chapter 21: The Shiba Clan

"Whoa, this is soooooo cooool!" I breathed in awe as I stared up at the two figures either side of what I could now safely guess was Kūkaku's house. How? Well, let's just say that the giant stone effigies of Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko balancing on one foot as they held up a blue and red banner that read "Shiba Kūkaku" in bold black Kanji. A large chimney like structure, which I knew full well to be the infamous Kakaku Hō – better known as the Flower Crane Cannon – pierced the sky behind it. It was wedged between the side of a rocky outcrop and a large boulder. A real rock and a hard place.

_ I've never really noticed it before, but now that I think about it, how the heck can I understand everyone and all the writing if it's all in Japanese?_

_It's because your brain was converted to be able to understand Japanese when you came through the portal to get here, _my Zanpakutō commented mysteriously. I was about to ask how the heck it knew that, but was prevented from doing so when Renji spoke up.

"Are we going in, or are we just going to stand here with you gaping like an idiot?"

"Hey!" I answered indignantly, giving him a hearty shove for his sarcastic remark without realising that I'd still got a hold of his hand. Renji staggered slightly, causing me to stumble with him and end up being caught by him.

"That wasn't thought out well, was it?" Renji questioned amusedly from above me as he steadied me. I tried to speak but, flustered by the gentle warmth against my back and around my arms, I found that I could only nod. Although, I was inclined to disagree with him as, though I was flushed as red as his hair, I was quite happy where I was.

We stood there for a moment, neither of us moving, before Renji coughed in a slightly embarrassed way and let me go. I fought not to pout – the fangirl inside of me was just a melted pile of goo right now – and said in a surprisingly controlled voice, "Well, if you're so eager to get going, then let's not waste any more time."

"Alrighty then, le-," but here Renji was cut off as two giant figures suddenly blocked the sun. I took a step back and closer to Renji, hoping that they weren't bandits or the like.

"Who are you?" said one figure.

"What are you doing here?" asked the other, and it was this strange way of speaking that made me realize who these two men were.

"Koganehiko!" I squealed, causing the one in the white top to step back, and then the one in the yellow as I cried happily "Shiroganehiko!"

"How do you know our names?" they both asked in unison, causing me to grin even wider and shrug mysteriously. They looked as though they were about to speak again, but then spotted Renji and executed hasty bows.

"Lieutenant Abarai, forgive us! We did not see you there!"

"It's fine, don't worry," Renji said with a slightly embarrassed wave of his hand at being addressed like that. I grinned, nudging him in the side.

"So, if I may ask again, what are you and this student of the Academy doing here?" enquired Koganehiko.

"We're here because Katsu invited us along," I piped, standing up on the balls of my feet and rocking backwards and forwards with my hands tucked behind my back in an "I'm completely harmless and innocent" way. The twins expressions changed dramatically; from ones of cautiousness to ones of delight and surprise. They clapped their hands and cried at the same time, "Ahh, Miss Katsu! Why did you not say? Come, come with us?" before ushering us towards the large house situated between the twins stone effigies. I looked over at Renji, who held a bemused expression on his face as he gazed up at the statues, and smiled to myself as I pulled by makeshift bandage up slightly more.

_That was _most _pleasant, _I sighed as Shiroganehiko opened the door and motioned for us to follow. _I was quite happy there._

_Would you like me to make it happen again? _questioned my Zanpakutō slyly, still cautious around Zabimaru, who was humming to itself at the moment.

_NO! _I cried, wanting to say yes but knowing that I had to refuse, due to my Zanpakutō's annoying habit of causing mischief everywhere whenever I allowed it to take control of me – he could, apparently, still do that.

He chuckled before withdrawing inside my inner world.

"Katsu mentioned that a couple of friends would be stopping by here," Koganehiko said as we followed the winding stone stairs that were lit by torches along the walls. I nodded, watching my step in case I missed one and nearly died.

"Ah, here we are," Shiroganehiko said as we walked through a door at the end of the stairs and into a corridor much like those in the Academy. "If you will follow me, I will let Miss Shiba know that you are here," Koganehiko said, beckoning us to follow him to the nearest door before motioning for us to wait and sliding the door, through which I could hear familiar laughter, open slightly.

"Miss Shiba, Miss Katsu's friends have arrived," he said in a differential tone. The laughter stopped, and there was a moment of pause before a familiar voice called, "Come in."

Stepping aside, Shiroganehiko bade us enter with a wave of his hand. I grinned and stepped past, followed closely by Renji. My eyes were straight away drawn to the bust woman sat on a sprawl of purple cushions, resting her left arm on a chair arm like thing.

As in the Manga of Bleach, she was missing her right arm and didn't have a prosthetic as she did in the Anime. The hilt of a short sword poked up from behind the stump of her arm, which was bandaged in a decorative way, much like her feet and spikey black hair that stuck out of the bandages folds.

"Hey there Katsu's friend, Lieutenant, come take a seat," Kūkaku said with a cheerful wave of her left hand, causing her large chest to almost bounce out of her revealing robe. Renji coughed again behind me, and I was sure that he would be as red as his hair. I grinned as I walked towards where the busty woman had indicated, which was on a cushion next to Katsu, who smiled widely at me.

_This is so fun! _I exclaimed as my eyes found another person in the room that wasn't Kūkaku, Takuma – who was sat on Katsu's right – Renji or myself.

Perched on a cushion to the far right of his sister was Ganju Shiba, green vest, long messy black hair and all. He was currently eyeing me up and down, having nodded to Renji as he entered the room behind me.

"So you're the other friend that Kat here keeps going on about eh?" Kūkaku asked as Renji plonked down close beside me. He reached over and adjusted my bandage on my elbow, causing me to nearly stutter as I replied to the question.

"Probably, unless Katsu has any other good friends that I don't know about. If she does, then where do they live and are they any good at fighting?" Ganju grinned, and Kūkaku let out a laugh.

"I like her already sis," she said, causing me to almost lean back into Renji in shock. _Sis?! But Kūkaku only had two siblings?!_

_Maybe the author forgot about her after giving her a minor role? _my Zanpakutō said.

_Possibly, but I want to know for sure._

"You said you were only distantly related to the Shiba clan?" I questioned Katsu. She was about to answer, but Takuma, surprisingly, spoke up for her.

"She is, but, according to what I've been told, these two here treat her like a sister." Katsu looked at him in a grateful manner, causing him to smile happily and myself to hide a smile.

"Ahh, I understand."

"Besides, calling her my sister gives me the chance to do this more often!" cried Ganju before launching himself at Katsu and grabbing her in a headlock. Kūkaku rolled her eyes at the two of them as they roughhoused across the floor like two wild dogs, whilst Renji, Takuma and I just laughed.

I loved it here already.

The day at the Shiba's house was one I doubted I would be forgetting very soon. After Ganju and Katsu had managed to smash through a wall – causing Kūkaku to almost blow her top at them as Renji, Takuma and I watched on, silently laughing – I had begged the busty woman to show me the Flower Crane Cannon; a request that she happily obliged.

It was _huge_, to say the least, and looking straight up the ginormous cannon towards the capped top was brilliant fun, as was speculating with Renji and Takuma on how high it was. Takuma was the closest to the actually height, which caused him to grin smugly at us. Until I punched him in the shoulder.

We were then, due to Katsu begging Kūkaku, allowed to try our hand the Reishūkaku; the cannonball thing that had helped Ichigo and the others get through the SekiSeki barrier around the Seireitei.

Renji's cannonball had been, much to his delight, quite good, although he had been told by Kūkaku that he needed to try and concentrate his Reiryoku further in order to make it less likely to explode. Katsu's had been perfectly stable, but much like Uryū's one it was slightly ellipsoid shaped. Shiroganehiko nodded sagely before asking Takuma to try. My dark haired friend smiled before concentrating his Reiryoku, creating a pretty much perfect cannonball.

And then it had been my turn. Concentrating hard, I had slowly allowed my Reiryoku to seep into the cannonball. There was a moment in which nothing had happened, but after another second a blue light had bloomed from the ball in my hands and enveloped me. It was perfectly circular, but pulsed outwards at random points every now and then.

"Good, but you need to try and stop your Spiritual Power from fluctuating so much," Kūkaku had called as I let had the cannonball drop back into its normal form. I had nodded, smiling at my achievement.

We had eaten lunch after that, and after being shown a few more things and just sitting and talking for a while we had bade the Shiba's a cheerful goodbye; all off us leaving with a packet of fireworks each. "A little gift for you to use when you want, for whatever you want," Kūkaku had said with a mischievous grin as she'd waved us off.

Now, with the fireworks safely tucked in our belts, we were wandering back towards the Academy. Renji had just brought a new pair of sunglasses – costing him half his years' salary – from the Silver Dragonfly, and I had happily stolen them as soon as he'd shown me them. Currently, I was wearing them victoriously over my eyes whilst fending off Renji's attempts to try and take them back.

"Give them back! You'll break them!" the red head cried as he made a grab for them. I ducked under his long arms and jabbed him in the back, adding, "Ah ah ah! Ask nicely and then I might!" for good measure.

"Fine," Renji huffed, straightening. "Give them back, _please._"

"Hmmm," I mused, fiddling about with a few buttons on them as I deliberated. "Alright, here you go," I sighed, taking the sunglasses from my head before, with a cheeky smile, throwing them lightly to Renji – who had taken his bandanna from his head to reveal his awesome tattoos. He scrambled to catch them, hugging them close before carefully placing them on his head and turning an annoyed look in my direction. I held up my hands in an innocent fashion, causing my Zanpakutō to snicker.

_And I didn't even have to make you do it, _he smiled, before yawning slightly.

_Hey, it was far too tempting to not do it, _I replied. My Zanpakutō smiled back before yawning again and saying sleepily, _I'm going to sleep. Don't misbehave whilst I'm not watching and enjoying it._

_I won't, don't worry._

_Good._

"C'mon children, behave," Katsu admonished, causing Takuma to laugh. Renji rolled his eyes before grabbing me and, in a surprise attack, ruffling my hair roughly.

"Gah, get off!" I cried, struggling (not too hard, mind you) to extricate myself from his grip. After a few more seconds off hair ruffling he did so, nudging me in the side and smiling impishly. I grumbled, trying to make my blue fringe go back into place but, as it always did after being messed with, it refused to settle into a normal looking place. Giving up, I settled for tightening my ponytail.

Looking towards the setting sun as we passed by a few more shops, I smiled happily. _I think I could actually get used to living here, _I mused as I let my eyes wander along the store fronts. _What with my Academy training, being friends with Renji, and having a Zan- _but then my train off thoughts was stopped in its tracks as I spotted a familiar looking item amongst those on display in a jeweller's store front.

My triad necklace.

With a cry off surprise and not a little relief, I darted between Takuma and Katsu and came to a halt in front of the store. The owner, a portly man with dull brown hair and wide, bargain-seeing eyes, turned a wide smile on me and said, "Ahh, I see you have taken an interest in our latest piece. It wasn't actually made by myself – I found it out in the streets of the Seireitei about a month back, but have held back putting it on display until I felt the time was right."

"Hey, Taiyesha, what's up?" Katsu asked as my three friends joined me. I smiled slightly and pointed to my necklace – I'd told her about it, amongst other things.

"Oooh, your necklace! Awesome!" she said with a smile. Renji raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"It's my necklace; I've had it since I was a little girl, but fell off when…you know," I ended, and Renji nodded slowly in understanding.

"Excuse me," interrupted the shopkeeper, looking slightly annoyed, "did you just say that this necklace is yours? Because I can assure you it's not; I found it just lying in the street."

"It's mine," I assured him, trying to fight down the seeds of worry that had sprouted in my chest. "As I said, I've had it since I was a child, but it fell off a while back and I haven't been able to find it since."

"It's true," Renji put in, causing me to smile thankfully up at him. Katsu and Takuma nodded as well, but the shopkeeper shook his head.

"Well, even if it was yours, it is now mine, as I found it. If you want it back, you'll have to buy it from me like any normal customer, Lieutenant friend or no," the shopkeeper said, glancing up at Renji as he said the last part. The red head frowned but said nothing, crossing his arms.

"How…how much is it, then?" I asked in a slightly wobbly tone, because I just knew that it was going to be something horrific. The well of worry and unhappiness grew within me, and I had to fight to stop myself from grabbing the necklace and running. It was the only link I had with home, after all.

"Well, it's a very well made piece, and is quite weighty, and is made out of silver as well, which is rare around this part of the Seireitei. So, taking all off that into consideration I would say this piece will set you back about…eighty three thousand Kan."

I felt a bottomless pit off despair open up underneath me. _Eighty three thousand Kan! That's…that's crazy! It's almost as much as Renji's glasses cost! What..what am I going to do? I can't afford that, not with the small allowance that we Academy students are given! I…I.._

"That's crazy money for such a small thing!" cried Katsu, her voice filled with anger on my behalf. I just stood there, staring at my necklace with hopelessness swimming through my veins and tears pricking my eyes. I was never going to get that amount of money, even if I were to become a seated officer in the next few days. Never.

"Katsu's right," came Renji's voice. "That's just being greedy!"

"Well, it's the only price I'm willing to sell it at, so unless you have the money to pay for the necklace with you, then I bid you good day!" snapped the man, getting annoyed with us. I took a step back at his tone, my eyes beginning to fill with tears. _Damn it all to hell! Why can't he understand how much it means to me! WHY?!_

"Hey, you alright?" questioned Renji as he placed a concerned hand on my shoulder. I shook my head, not wanting to speak unless I broke down. His brown eyes softened and he murmured, "Hang on, I'll sort this out for you," before squeezing my shoulder comfortingly and walking past me. Moving the customers out off the way with a look, he then turned to the shopkeeper and bent in close, hissing some words and making sharp gestures.

Takuma and Katsu came to stand by me, the latter slinging a comforting arm around my shoulders. "I can see why you like him," she whispered softly as, with a final glare that caused the shopkeeper to swallow visibly, Renji turned and made his way back to us.

"I couldn't get him to bring the price down, but I've managed to persuade him to keep it in reserve for you for a month," Renji stated as the man whisked my necklace from the store front and into the back off the shop. "That might give you a bit off time to get at least some off the money to pay in advance."

"Thank you, Renji," I said quietly, the swirls off despair abating somewhat, but still not disappearing. We all knew that that wasn't going to be enough time for me to get the money needed to pay for my necklace.

"No problem," he replied with a gentle smile, although it didn't reach his eyes – they had a slightly faraway look to them. He then glanced up to the sky and said, "Well, I best get back to the barracks, otherwise Captain Kuchiki will be wondering where I am."

"Ok," Takuma, Katsu and I said, although I didn't say it as enthusiastically as I normally would have. Renji gazed down at me for a moment before pulling me into a one armed hug.

"Don't worry. You'll get that necklace," he said quietly. Pressed against his side, I couldn't help but feel slightly more optimistic.

_If you don't manage to, we can always help Renji to…persuade the man to give it back, _Zabimaru said in such a serious tone that I had to laugh.

"I hope so," I sighed. Renji smiled, properly this time, before releasing me and waving goodbye to us all.

"Well, let's get back to the Academy before they close the gates," Takuma said, and Katsu nodded. I sighed before starting off with them, my gaze always straying back to where my necklace had been, and then to the retreating figure off Renji.

_Why can't everyone be as nice as him?_

Renji turned a corner and stopped, leaning back against the wall. He took his glasses from his head and gazed down at them. They'd cost him half a year's salary, and he hated the thought off losing them or breaking them, as inevitably happened to them.

_So, what're you gonna do chief? _Questioned the young male half of his Zanpakutō. Renji stared down at his glasses for a moment longer before looking down the street where The Silver Dragonfly was.

_Something, _he replied with a smile before setting off, his glasses in hand.

* * *

_Next time..._

Chapter 22: Smiling Denial

"Your…your necklace is gone from the shop," she said quietly, and I felt my heart stop. I had asked Katsu to check on the necklace every day that I couldn't, to make sure that it was still there and the shop owner had kept his promise. To find out that it was now gone…well, I couldn't really put the feeling into words.

"But…but what did the shopkeeper say?" I asked, my voice beginning to shake. It couldn't be lost forever. It just couldn't be.

"He said that he'd been made an offer that he couldn't refuse," Katsu said softly, and as she did so my vision began to blur with tears.

_I'm sorry, _my Zanpakutō said softly, melancholy replacing the normal humor in his voice. He seemed to have stopped the battle raging inside himself, for now at least.

"I couldn't get a name from the shopkeeper…I'm sorry Taiyesha," Katsu said quietly, and I nodded, trying to blink away the tears.

* * *

**Me: Alright, alright, I'm calm now *still smoking slightly***

**Renji: I hope so. You almost burnt down the Sixth Division earlier!**

**Me: Sorry about that. Anyway, I forgot to do the disclaimer, but you all know that I don't own Bleach, only my OC's and whatever happens to them.**

**Byakuya: Indeed we do.**

**Me: I mean what I said earlier, by the way. I will show absolutely _no _mercy if I ever see a review like that again, no matter who it's from. *Starts to flame again***

**Renji: RUN FOR IT, SHE'S GOING TO EXPLODE AGAIN! **


	22. Smiling Denial

**Me: Whoops, I haven't updated in a while.**

**Renji: But you've had the time, haven't you? *Crosses arms and waits for my response***

**Me: Uhh...yeah, I have...BUT PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF THE HOLIDAY AND I WANTED TO DO SOME OF MY OWN ART AND I KINDA FORGOT ABOUT MY FANFIC! *Makes puppy eyes at Renji, Byakuya and the readers.**

**Byakuya:...see that it does not happen again.**

**Me: *jumps on to Byakuya's back* YAY! I won't! I promise! Just something else quick; I made up the incantation for Byakurai, as it doesn't have a known one.**

**Renji: *shakes his head* Strange creature. Anywho, as Devicorn is busy annoying my Captain *ignores Byakuya's pleas for help as Devicorn makes him giver her a piggy back all around his gardens* I will do the disclaimer: Devicorn does not own Bleach, nor does she own any of the characters or anything else in it. She only owns her Oc's and the things that happen to them.**

**Me: Thank you Renji! Now, onwards my steed. To glory! *Gets thrown off by an irate Byakuya***

**Renji:...**

* * *

Chapter 22: Smiling Denial

"Taiyesha. Taiyesha! TAIYESHA!" came Katsu's voice, just as I pulled myself from my inner world and back to where I was sat on the windowsill, my asauchi balanced on it's end in front of me. The sun was just beginning to set on the early August day, and orange rays highlighted red blood trickling down my arm. I traced it back to its source and found the shallow cut from earlier, which I quickly traced a hand over, healing it. We'd recently learnt how to heal, and I was actually pretty decent at it.

"Yes, Katsu?" I asked, turning to face the blond as she shut the door, panting slightly.

"Alright, two things. Which would you rather have first; the bad news, or the alright news?"

"The alright news," I answered immediately, because, as I figured, it was far easier to take in news when you weren't upset by previous bad news.

"Ok, the alright news it is then. Starting Monday, Miss Konae wants you to give me two hours of lessons per day on Shunpo, as I still can't do it," Katsu said sheepishly, tugging on her ponytail. I blew my hair out of my face and nodded, understanding. Katsu's Shunpo was like My Kidō, only not explosive and burney. She just didn't seem to be able to shift her mind-set to the one required to do Flash Step, and had only ever managed one step – more out of surprise at having me shout "BOO!" right behind her. I went to speak, but Katsu cut me off, her face going slightly red.

"We, ah, we won't be able to use the training grounds, as we need adult supervision when practicing, and Miss Konae, or any off the other teachers for that matter, don't have the time to spare."

"Where the heck are we going to train, and find someone to watch over us whilst we do so?" I asked, mildly annoyed at the fact that we couldn't use the normal training grounds. It was inconvenient.

"I don't know," Katsu sighed, flopping down onto her mattress. I sighed, picking up my slowly falling asauchi and placing it back in it's sheath on my back. I stayed where I was, staring at the fiery sky as I thought. It was then that My Zanpakutō spoke up in his smoky, ever-filled-with-an-edge-of-humour voice.

_You do remember that Renji offered you help should you ever need it? _he said, and my eyes widened as I remembered what Renji had said.

_"If you uh, ever need anything you can't get here, come find me in Squad six, and I'll see what I can do to help."_

_Thank god I have you, _I said with a smile, causing my Zanpakutō to grin in response.

_Hey, I want to help her as well, _it said, before suddenly clamping down on itself as it had done a few times before. I eyed my chest suspiciously, but chose to ignore the inner battle seemingly going on inside my Zanpakutō.

"Hey, Katsu," I said over my shoulder, pulling my roommate from her pensive thoughts.

"Hmmm?"

"I think I know somewhere we can help you with your Shunpo."

"Really?"

"Yup," I replied, before outlining what I was going to do. Katsu's smile brightened with every word, and at the end of it her expression became smug.

"You're not doing this just to have an excuse see and talk to him again, are you?" she asked slyly, causing me to sputter out a hasty, embarrassed denial. Katsu's grey eyes sparkled with merriment, but just as quickly became serious.

"And now for the bad news," she sighed, her tone suggesting that she wasn't looking forward to this.

"Your…your necklace is gone from the shop," she said quietly, and I felt my heart stop. I had asked Katsu to check on the necklace every day that I couldn't, to make sure that it was still there and the shop owner had kept his promise. To find out that it was now gone…well, I couldn't really put the feeling into words.

"But…but what did the shopkeeper say?" I asked, my voice beginning to shake. It couldn't be lost forever. It just couldn't be.

"He said that he'd been made an offer that he couldn't refuse," Katsu said softly, and as she did so my vision began to blur with tears.

_I'm sorry, _my Zanpakutō said softly, melancholy replacing the normal humor in his voice. He seemed to have stopped the battle raging inside himself, for now at least.

"I couldn't get a name from the shopkeeper…I'm sorry Taiyesha," Katsu said quietly, and I nodded, trying to blink away the tears.

Just as I had managed to, however, there came a knock on our closed door. We both turned to look at the wooden door, and saw an indistinct, tall shadow behind it.

"Come in," Katsu called. As soon as she did so, the figure bent over, placed something on the floor and, with a whistle of Flash Step, was gone. I launched myself from my seat and Shunpoed the short distance to the door, flinging it wide open to see if I could see who had knocked and then fled. Unfortunately, the person appeared to be fast at Flash Step, as all I caught was a glimpse of a Shihakusho as the tall figure disappeared around a corner.

_Damn it, I'll have to go and – _but the rest of my thought was cut off as my bare foot came into contact with something on the floor. Looking down, I saw that there was a long, thin, pale blue box underneath my bare right foot. Looking around once more, I bent down and picked it up. It was light, as if it were almost empty, but when I shook it something inside it chinked gently.

"Who was it?" Katsu asked, straightening her hair as my passing had caused it to go all skewwhiff.

"I don't know; they were gone before I could get a good look at them," I replied, shutting the door. My Zanpakutō peered out through my eyes and looked down at the box, before retreating and giving me control back.

_ There is nothing in there that will cause you harm, _he said, and as he did so the amusement in his voice increased.

_Well, what's in there? _I asked.

_Why don't you open it and find out? _my Zanpakutō replied, smiling widely. Frowning slightly, I returned my attention to the box and began to work the lid from it.

"Where d'you get that, Taiyesha?" Katsu asked, wandering over to my side as I slowly worked away at the lid, which was quite tightly sealed.

"It was on the floor when I looked out," I said, finally managing to pry one corner of the lid off. "I don't know what's in here, but my Zanpakutō says it's nothing…harmful," I trailed of as I pulled the lid off and saw what was inside. My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open in shock.

Glinting in the setting sun, on a fine, diamond cut chain of silver, was a silver triad in perfect condition. A note sat on top of it, one that said, "Next time, don't lose it," in slightly scratchy Kanji.

My necklace.

Sucking in a breath, I gently placed the box on my mattress before taking my necklace from it. It was as I remembered it, and didn't seem to have suffered a single scratch.

"So that's where it went," Katsu mused as I reverently undid the clasp and secured it in its rightful place around my neck. The triad settled into its normal place, and as it did so a sense of purest relief washed over me, causing a huge smile to spread across my lips.

_Told you it was nothing harmful, _my Zanpakutō said, and there was a note of satisfied happiness alongside his perpetually amused tone.

_And you were right, _I replied, my hand raising to clasp the necklace, as was my habit.

"I wonder who put it outside our room?" my roommate asked, her eyes straying to the note inside the box as she picked it up. I turned my attention to the not as well, still holding my necklace as if it could disappear at any moment.

"I don't recognise the style of Kanji," I said, taking the note between my thumb and forefinger. "It could be anyone…wait. Wait wait wait wait wait! I think I know who left it there!" I cried as the shape of the shadow became more distinct in my mind. Hadn't it had something odd about its hair? And wasn't it taller than most people?

"Who!?" Katsu asked eagerly, but I wasn't paying attention. My hazel eyes rested on our now closed door, a small smile tugging at my lips.

_I think I have an even greater reason to go and visit the 6th Division now, don't you?_

_Indeed, _my Zanpakutō replied. _Indeed._

"Do you really think he'll let us train here and supervise us as we do?" questioned Katsu for the umpteenth time that afternoon. It was a pleasant August day – I couldn't believe I'd been here almost three months, and going to the Academy for almost one! – and my friend and I were heading towards the 6th Division, where I could sense Renji's Spiritual Pressure, alongside another.

"Yup. Renji said to come to him if ever I needed help, so that's exactly what I'm doing."

"I guess that works…but how are we going to get past those guards by the gates?" my friend asked, pointing to where two Shinigami's with halberd-like weapons stood in front of the open gates to the 6th Division's barracks

"That might be a problem, but I'm sure we'll be let in eventually. If not…" I trailed of as we got nearer. My Zanpakutō curled up on himself and seemed to go to sleep, presumably because Byakuya was nearby.

"Hi there, my friend and I have come to speak with Renji Abarai about something," I said as we came to a stop in front of the two men. The one on the left had pale blond hair that was tied back in a loose ponytail and brown eyes that narrowed at me. The one on the right had short, messy hair so black as to be almost blue, and had a more open face than his companion.

"And what business would the Lieutenant have with a couple of _Academy students _like you?" snarked the blond haired one, causing me to frown and answer back in a snappy tone.

"Wouldn't _you _like to know."

"Hey, don't speak to me like that!"

"Then don't speak to _us_ like that, Mr. Ponytail!" I retorted, my confrontational nature coming to the forefront. Inside I was mentally kicking myself for probably scuppering our chances of getting into the 6th Division freely, but a small part of me was actually enjoying the chance to exercise my wit. Yu had none, so I couldn't spar verbally with him.

"I'm really sorry about my friend here," Katsu said hastily, shooting me an admonishing glance as she stepped between the pair of us, "but we really do need speak to the Lieutenant." The kinder looking guard stepped forward, pushing his angry friend out of the way.

"For us to let you in we need to know why you need to see Lieutenant Abarai," he said in a soft voice. Katsu smiled at him, clearly happy to be talking to him instead of his annoyed partner, and replied cheerfully.

"Well, he owes us a favour, see, and we've come to collect on it."

"Ahh, I see," said the dark haired guard. He thought for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, but it's not something urgent so we can't just let you go waltzing in. Perhaps you might want to go and wait until he's outside of the Division before trying to speak to him?"

"Aww, come on, please?" I begged, resting my head on Katsu's shoulder and making puppy dog eyes. The guard shook his head again.

"No can do, I'm afraid."

"Fine, fine," Katsu sighed, turning us both around and beginning to walk away, with me following reluctantly behind.

"Yeah, run along back to your studies, _children,_" commented the blond guard, causing me to turn around and make a repulsive face at him before continuing.

"Damn, how're we going to get in now?" Katsu questioned, but I was already checking to make sure that the way behind us was clear.

"When I say so, get on my back and hold on tight," I murmured, surreptitiously gauging the distance between us and the entrance to the 6th Division's barracks.

"Why, what are you planning…no, no WAY are we doing that!" Katsu hissed quietly as she realised what I was about to do.

"Do you have any better ideas?" I replied calmly, and when Katsu said nothing I grinned wickedly. "That's what I thought. Now, are you going to hop on my back voluntarily or am I going to have to Kidō bind you to me? We both know how well that'll end up working, so I suggest you choose the former option."

Katsu stared at me for another moment before shaking her head, a slow smile forming on her lips.

"You're going to get yourself into a heap of trouble one day, doing something like this," my friend sighed.

"Been there, done that, got the scar to prove it," I quipped back before slowing down.

"Ready?" I asked. Katsu sighed again before hopping nimbly on to my back, wrapping her legs around my waist and grasping my shoulders with her hands. Adjusting to the extra weight, I heard a laugh from behind us – probably Mr. Ponytail – but ignored it, waiting for Katsu's answer.

"As I'll ever be," she answered, and I nodded.

"Whatever you do, don't let go!" I said before, with a quick little skip, I reversed my direction of travel and Flash Stepped back towards the guards. There was surprised exclamation as I started forward, from both Katsu and the guards, but before much more than that could happen I was racing past the two men, giving Mr. Ponytail a good kick in the stomach as I streaked by.

"AHHHHHHHHHAAAAHHHHAAAHHHH!" screamed Katsu as I Shunpoed along, her screams getting louder every time I skidded around a particularly sharp corner. I laughed wildly, keeping a tight hold on my terrified friends legs – all the while heading towards where Renji and the unfamiliar Spiritual Pressure were. I had to get there quick, as the guards would surely have started after me by now. I'd have the whole of the 6th Division chasing me if I wasn't careful.

Eliciting a particularly loud screech from Katsu as I barely dodged a Shinigami, I darted around another corner and found myself heading towards where Renji and a short woman with her dark hair styled into a closely cut bob stood talking. When they both turned to look at where I was – I hadn't bothered to conceal my Spiritual Pressure – I almost tripped out of surprise. It was Rukia Kuchiki, adoptive sister of Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant of the 13th Division under Jūshirō Ukitake.

_Ohmygod this is awesome! _I thought excitedly as I began skidding to a stop, Katsu clinging on for dear life. _I've wanted to meet her since I got here, and here's my chance!_

With a final dig of my heels I came out of Flash Step and to a slightly abrupt stop before the two Lieutenants. Katsu, realising that we were no longer moving, quickly scrambled from my back and said shakily, "Never do that again."

"Aww, c'mon, it wasn't even the slightest bit fun?" I pouted, ignoring Renji and Rukia for a moment.

"It was, not enough for me to want to perch on your back and go at that speed at the same anytime soon." Katsu said, though a small smile of exhilaration pulled up her lips, and her grey eyes were sparkling.

Smiling as well, I then turned to Renji, who was looking at me with a surprised smile, and Rukia, who was watching me with a bemused expression. _Wow, she's so short! _I thought to myself, and felt my Zanpakutō snort minutely as I did so.

"Hey Pineapple, Hi Lieutenant Kuchiki," I greeted them, smiling as I tucked my blue fringe behind my right ear.

"Hey Shorty," Renji replied, grinning back at me, seemingly happy to see me. He had a piece of paper clasped lightly in his right hand. Rukia glared at him, probably for the nickname he'd decided to give me, before greeting me.

"Please, call me Rukia…?" she trailed off in her distinctive voice, and I gladly filled in the blank for her.

"I'm Taiyesha Tategaowa. This is Katsu Adachi," I ended, pointing to my friend as she stood shyly at my side. Rukia nodded, smiling warmly in welcome.

"It's nice to meet the person Renji keeps mentioning. He's told me that you were the Ryoka who caused all that trouble a few months ago," Rukia said, gesturing to the red head with a grin. I raised an eyebrow at Renji.

"What've you been saying about me?" I asked, causing Renji to shrug sheepishly and quickly shift the topic of conversation.

"Nothing, really. Anyway, I see you've got your necklace back. Did you get the money to buy it, or did the shopkeeper just give it to you?" he questioned, his eyes watching my necklace as it twirled from my neck.

"Neither of those; someone actually left it in a box outside of my room this morning, with a little note saying 'Next time, don't lose it," I replied. Renji raised an eyebrow, but there was a faint, slightly smug smile pulling at his lips. Rukia was also smiling as if she knew something I didn't, though she tried to conceal it.

"Oh? Any idea who left it there?"

"I have my suspicions, but I'm not completely sure yet."

"Ahh. Well, I'm glad you got it back," Renji smiled, his red-brown eyes warm. I smiled back.

"Anyway, what're you doing here?" I sighed, before beginning my explanation.

"…and so, we want you to supervise us somewhere – maybe a free courtyard here? – so I can teach Katsu Shunpo," I finished, gazing beseechingly at Renji, who had his thinking face on. After a few moments, in which I fiddled unconsciously with my necklace, and Katsu shifted her weight from leg to leg, Renji nodded slowly.

"Sure, I'd be happy to help," he said, causing Katsu and I to grin happily. But he wasn't done yet.

"_If_ you go deliver this report to Captain Ukitake," he ended. Rukia punched him on the arm, frowning at her friend.

"Hey, I thought you said you would help her if she needed it? And besides, _I _could deliver it to my Captain when I go back!" she stated, glaring up at her friend. Renji had the decency to look abashed, but shook his head slightly.

"It has to be delivered pretty soon, else Captain Kuchiki will get annoyed at me." Rukia looked like she was about to say something, but I cut her off by taking the paper from Renji.

"I don't mind. So, I'll go deliver this report whilst you guys go and find a suitable place for me and Katsu to practice," I said, subtly glancing down at the paper and finding my suspicions confirmed before folding it and tucking it inside my robes. Rukia looked at me funny, and I grinned.

"Wondering why I don't mind doing this?" I asked, and she nodded. My grin got wider as I felt the Spiritual Pressures, which had been drawing nearer and nearer, draw closer to the corner of the corridor behind me.

"Well," I started to say as I turned around, throwing a mischievous glance over my shoulder, "two reasons. One; I can do it far faster than Renji could even _hope _to do it, and two; it means that Renji'll be the one dealing with the guards who'll be coming round the corner in 3…2…1!" right on cue, Mr. Ponytail and his nicer friend rounded the corner, giving a shout when the saw me.

With a whoop of laughter, I Flash Stepped over their heads, leaving them to cry in dismay as I escaped them once more, and Renji and Rukia to watch with bemused expressions. _Now _that _was fun!_

_I thought it was his handwriting on the note, and looking at the paper proves my suspicions correct. _I said to my Zanpakutō as I raced towards Jūshirō's Spiritual Pressure.

_I would have thought it was obvious who gave you it back, _my Zanpakutō snorted.

_I pretty much knew it was Renji, but I needed something to confirm my suspicions, which this report has._

_I suppose. C'mon, let's hurry up and give the report to Jūshirō._

"Woooooowww, this place is so cooool!" I gaped as I was guided to Captain Ukitake's Ugendō Quarters by Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentarō Kotsubaki, who were arguing over who should go and knock first.

There were large carp (brought to the pond from Captain Kuchiki's pond, courtesy of Yachiru) leaping into the air from the pond; trees providing gentle shade and a peaceful atmosphere; and birds calling to one another in those trees. It really was a nice place.

"Hey, Kiyone, I was going to knock on the door, you little toe rag!" Sentarō cried indignantly, causing Kiyone to stick her tongue out at the other third seat before opening the door at her Captain's call.

"There's an Academy student her with a report from Lieutenant Abarai, Captain," she called into the warmly lit interior of the room.

"Ahh, the report I have been expecting; good, let them in, Kiyone," Jūshirō called, and the third seat stepped aside to let me pass. I stepped into the room and was greeted by the sight of Jūshirō sat up in his bed, a magazine on his lap as he watched me with intelligent green eyes. He was probably here recovering from a bout of his illness. His Zanpakutō, Sōgyo no Kotowari, was chatting to itself – it had two sides, both child-like and happy to engage in any form of mischief.

"Thank you," he said as I moved to his side and handed him the report. He went to read it, but then looked sharply up at me, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You are that Ryoka; the one who somehow knew of Nanao, aren't you?" he questioned, and I nodded. My Zanpakutō was curled up on itself, trying not to be noticed, and shrank even smaller at this remark.

"Head Captain Yamamoto decided to put you into the Academy?"

"Yes, he did. He thought it the best place to keep an eye on me whilst also training me to become a Shinigami."

"I see…" Jūshirō trailed off, before starting on another topic. "Have you already gained a place amongst the 6th Division?"

"As much as I wish that were true, no, I haven't. I'm just doing a favour for Lieutenant Abarai so he'll do me one in return," I replied, twirling a strand of my fringe around my finger. Jūshirō smiled in his usual way, and I couldn't help but smile back. He was so nice.

"Well, thank you for delivering this report to me. It was nice to see you again under better circumstances," the Captain said, and I nodded, taking this as my cue to depart.

"It definitely was," I replied, before strolling from the room and Flash Stepping away.

When I got back to the 6th Division and stopped where I felt Renji's, Rukia's and Katsu's Spiritual Pressures, I found the three of them sat on the wooden steps along one side of the training ground, where an open corridor opened out onto said training ground. Rukia and Katsu were happily chatting away like old friends – it seemed that Rukia had caused Katsu to get over her initial shyness – and Renji was staring of into the distance as he leant against one of the wooden support beams; one arm resting over his bent right leg. His tattoos were just visible at the edges of the low neck line of his Shihakusho. I stood on the roof, my Spiritual Pressure concealed as I admired the view for a moment, before silently Shunpoing over to Renji's side, revealing my Spiritual Pressure as I did so.

Renji glanced over at me and smiled slightly before going back to his thoughts. I paused, debating whether or not to let on that I knew that he'd given my necklace back to me, but my Zanpakutō made that decision for me by taking control of my vocal chords.

_How the hell do you do that? _I questioned as he said for me, "You were the one who bought my necklace for me, weren't you?"

_That would be telling, _my Zanpakutō said quietly with a smirk, before giving back control and retreating to my inner world.

"Why would you think that?" Renji questioned, turning towards me with a raised eyebrow and a barely visible grin.

"Because the writing on that report was exactly the same as that on the note that was left with my necklace," I replied, watching with a smile as his eyes widened slightly. Remarkably, though, he managed to shrug and say, "That's a coincidence," before turning his head away again. The smile was wider, though.

Snorting and shaking my head, much like Zabimaru did, I stood and motioned for Katsu to follow me to the center of the training ground.

"Alright, so the first thing you have to do to be able to use Shunpo is…"

It was an extremely fun training session, for everyone involved. By the end of it, Katsu had managed to do two Flash Steps without falling over, going in completely the wrong direction, or looking like a mad woman doing a rain dance. Renji and Rukia had been keen to give pointers to Katsu – ones that she'd found very helpful – but when, just before the break we had at the half way point, Renji had decided to give _me _a pointer, I'd Flash Stepped behind him and stolen his hairband, much to Rukia's delight and Renji's annoyance. The red head had chased me around and around the training ground for a good while, ending when I'd pinged the band right into his forehead with enough force to leave a mark. I must admit; Renji with his hair down had cut a rather drool worthy picture.

Another thing that had happened was that, towards the end of the last hour, Byakuya had made a silent appearance. He appeared to be walking along the corridor to go somewhere, but stopped to watch us for a minute or so. When I'd spotted him I'd bowed my head respectfully, as had Katsu, before going back to teaching my friend.

Before he had left, he had said one thing, and that had been to me. "You would do well to keep your back straighter when using Flash Step." I'd blinked and turned to look at him, but Byakuya was already walking away. Renji watched his Captain go, then turned back to me and shrugged.

Now, as we waved goodbye to Renji – Rukia had left slightly earlier, saying that as much as she wanted to stay, she had to get back to her Division – I felt a lightness overtake me, causing me to bounce with each step, and my Zanpakutō to shake it's head but smile nonetheless. The fact that I felt so happy _might _have had something to do with the fact that Renji had asked when I was coming back. He'd covered it up by saying that he wanted to know which afternoons we needed him to watch us for (every afternoon for two hours), but Katsu swore to me as we walked away that he'd been blushing.

* * *

_Next Time..._

Chapter 23: Ace Up My Sleeve

"What did you just say," I breathed, and Yu laughed. My Zanpakutō went silent as he realised what I was about to do, an evil glee emanating from him. _Finally!_

"Do I have to spell it out for you, you deaf dumbass? I called you a coward." Yu said, and I closed my eyes and clenched my fists.

"C," Yu started, and I slowly began to stand, widening my stance.

"O." I rose to my full height and unclenched my fists, taking a slow breath.

"W." I began to raise my right hand, my fingers searching.

"A" I clenched my hands around the handle of my asauchi and began to draw it.

"R." I finished drawing my asauchi and lowered it to waist level.

"D." I clenched my other hand around the handle…

"COWARD!" Yu finished gleefully, and as he did so I flexed my arms and ripped my asauchi in two. The material form disappeared, leaving two ghostly copies in my hands. They were not shaped like my asauchi had been. My Spiritual Pressure began to change, rumbling and distorting the air around me.

"So, I'm a coward am I?" I asked in a deadly calm voice, slowly crossing my ghostly blades so that the bottom edge of the left blade rested against the top edge of the other just before its handle

"Well, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but that's where you are very, _very _mistaken," I murmured, before beginning to pivot around on my right leg and scraping my left blade down my right one. As I did so, I cried a set of words that I had wanted to say for a long, long time.

* * *

**Me: Buhahahaha, I love being able to taunt you with my OC's Zanpakuto's name, and then not telling you it :D It's so much fun!**

**Renji: You are a cruel, cruel person, you know that?**

**Me: Yeah, but you love it XD**

**Renji: *Blushing* N-no, I don't!**

**Byakuya: Yes you do, Renji.**

**Renji: CAPTAIN!**

**Me: Ha! Anyway, as you might have guessed from the little snippet I have taken from the end of the next chapter, the next chapter will reveal my OC's Zanpakuto's name, which some of you coughcoughrainbowrunner01coughcough have been beggind and threatening me to try and get me to tell you. So, I shall try and post that chapter soon to keep you all happy, but for now I shall sit back and enjoy the mayhem that this chapters **_Next Time... _**segment has probably caused XD**


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